Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

I have to say, for such a big place, Russia does not seem to have provided its gem engravers with very interesting raw material. This tan on darker brown seems to be absolutely characteristic, as does labeling the subject on the back. Wonder if it's all considered 'Kolyvan jasper'.

The investigation into one I have, interspersed with discussion of bluumz's then newly received George Washington, starts here:

CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

Resumes here:

CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

And concludes:

CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

Olenin is that same drab brown. Think you could almost use the color alone to identify a cameo as Russian.

Records of imperial cameo cutting became a shambles during the Soviet era, so Dr. Kagan was pleased to have another little piece of the history.

 

No, unfortunately not. I looked but couldn't find anything.

 

HaHa! Now I can't unsee that!

 

Thanks for the links to the discussion of Russian cameos. You have a little bit of everything in your collection.

 

It's typical Schmoll: does most of a scene reasonably well; has one detail that misses the mark.

 

Here's an uninteresting cameo with an interesting setting. Currently on eBoo, but ending soon. Shipping from Argentina. I love the frame.

 

Carved ivory? Couldn't ship it here unless out of the frame, and the frame is the good part. Best if it goes elsewhere.

 

I had seen it. Unusual, to say the least. Not for me, on several counts, but someone will acquire a curiosity. I have noticed before that South America has its own ways of mounting cameos.

 

I had seen this one but agreed the frame is the best part. I really enjoy how unique it is.

 

Rowan n Rowan posted a gentleman we've seen before in Bronwen's collection. They liken theirs to the Otricoli Zeus.



No matter how many times I see him, my brain always sees this image as Zeus' big head on a bird body at first. Like a very proud chicken.

 

I think maybe you are meant to have that conflation of the god & his servant. Zeus is the eagle; the eagle is Zeus. It is quite a standard depiction of the head of Zeus, Otricoli notwithstanding.

As far as I can ascertain, the original is a cameo by Giovanni Dies, who was active in the first half of the 19th century. It is #48 in Tomo VIII of La Collezione Paoletti, a huge collection of glass paste impressions of engraved gems.

# Zeus eagle ouroboros Dies Paoletti

 

I assumed there had to be a more "complete" image out there as the eagle is so exact across versions, even down to feather count! Thank you for the info! So far, the ones I've seen have been so well carved, so if not all the same hand, then certainly a master tier subject not to be tried by the faint of heart. The hair/beard are always so lushious.

 

I have shown this elsewhere on the Internet, but she's just so pretty, thought I'd give her an encore:



The only Francescangeli I have ever found did pietra dura mosaic. Not unreasonable nor unlikely that a member of the family turned their hand to cameos.

The dimensions of the oval are not outside those of larger cameos, but the stone is so thick, any jewellery made with it would be fit for a Titan.

 

or a Bronwen !!

 

He is beautiful. I love these multi-tier hardstone carvings and this one is particularly delicate. That face! Looks like a pocket Roman marble. Or maybe the centerpiece in a tiara.

Does that say "N. 2"? I want to be that good on a second attempt, if so.

 

Dionysian for sure, but I see a she, largely because the breasts are completely covered. The fellas tend to go more bare chested.

Yes, I think it is N. 2, or maybe No 2. Not likely to pertain to Francescangeli's output. I have not been able to decipher the meaning of the markings other than the name. If I could think of something relevant C D might stand for, I would suspect it's an address.

 

I see as soon as I introduce her here, Psyche needs to go in for a bit of a bath. This is the piece that interested both @PepperAnna & me, not because it is such fabulous carving but because it is signed by Filippo Vergé.



It's that little butterfly tucked in under her headband that identifies her. This depiction with downcast eyes was a popular one. The Met Museum has a lovely one, with full diaphanous wings, by Luigi Rosi. (Funny now that at the time it was written up, theirs was the only example of Rosi's work they could find.)

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/198632

Before there was Filippo, there was Antonio, an even more accomplished engraver who was one of the suppliers to Castellani. They worked out of the same address on the Piazza di Spagna. Somewhere along the line I picked up the notion that they are uncle & nephew, but could be father/son.

 

@komokwa, @bluumz, @mirana - Just received the cameo today and here are the pet photos as promised! It's every bit as splendid as I anticipated. It seems to not be chalcedony as the front is white and the back is red, I'm guessing it could be regular onyx. @Bronwen

front
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q_DlojwCmQCixT-CHt2Md14lumpMQBPo/view?usp=drive_link

back
https://drive.google.com/file/d/127lZCTvPxgH8cTFXC0Q5FXGw4YR91u0f/view?usp=drive_link

side
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19J9zyppcJT_etm33cv1PnR8U6_rAzbQt/view?usp=drive_link

 

@Vector she is absolutely lovely!!! I was watching her during the auction and I am so glad she went to someone who will enjoy her. If you have other cameos, please do a little show and tell. We love to see new cameos!

 

Glad you got her! She looks great. Of course, I am envious, but glad I lost to a worthy opponent. I only have one Verge, which I have shown before.