Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

That looks like a great product. I only know the outcomes of my current jeweller's work, no damage, some kind of clear, not easily removed stuff on the back, & the explanation my other jeweller friend gave me when asked what the stuff was on the back of an aquamarine crystal in a pendant I bought, that it was 'water clear acryllic', with emphasis on 'water clear'.

 

I know no acrylic material that would even hold up to soft solder which melts at around 420 degrees F. The lowest temperature silver solder is around 1200 degrees F.

 

That it is better- I will give it a shot tomorrow.

 

So, in my head, this cameo is dubbed "LutherNot".

But, best I can say for now is I think it starts with an "L" and I think it ends with "hot" (yeah, I do think that's an "h").

And I'm not getting very far with making these easier to read because I'm not sure which scratches are the important scratches.

 

Forwarding for reference:

You would then expect the letter before that to be 'c'. Could also end 'llot', another combination perfectly reasonable for French. Due to the random scratch interference, I'm not sure whether it's 1 name or 2. Tantalizingly, my sources tell me there was a Belgian gem engraver named Leonard Jehotte. There are a surprising number of late 18th - 19th century gem engravers with names beginning with L who are unknown to me. None of the L names have the conformation of this signature. Engravers only get listed if they worked in stone & it's rarely noted if they also used shell.

 

It was cameo day in the BMRT household.

One of you (correctly) said Ruby Lane is not a place to find bargains however a few days ago they had a “cyber monday” sale or something of the like. Well, they got my money since I have no self control. I had my eyes on a earring and brooch combo for a while and when they came up half off I pounced. Perhaps the cameo aficionados in this thread can add your observations too. The seller told me they had been given to a great grandmother sometime in the 1870’s. Included was a photograph of the great grandmother wearing the brooch. Set in 18k gold. It is not hallmarked but was tested. They are hard stone cameos. A delicately scrawled “Hermione” is on the back along with some numbers which are hard to see because of whatever that bottom piece is. The seller also believes these may be French? The seller was kind enough to include three other cameos from her collection and write me a detailed email with some of the stories associated with all of them. I’m surprised and touched. I went shopping and made a friend in the process.

Anything you fine individuals can add/refute or correct would be greatly appreciated!

 

Lovely, & so nice to have Hermione's personal connection. (And I appreciate having an example of my contention that sometimes names on cameos are those of owner, not engraver.) If they were French, if the gold work is French, think they would be marked. Remember that French marks are extremely tiny, so look well.

Cameos themselves could be French, Italian or German & not uncommon for cameos to be set elsewhere than country of origin. Mount is simple, but can tell it is high quality by the sturdiness of the findings.

Someone got carried away with the hair accessories. She seems to have half an occipite veil, some other little cap, a ribbon that only shows round the back & a gizmo that reminds me of this figure, who is the Samian Sibyl or Queen Zenobia, depending on who did the titling:





Now you have to wear them. I trot this set out for special occasions:

 

Could be for a watch, if you wanted it to be, but I think this is a day/night piece & the hook is meant for a removable pendant. Another cameo, a pearl... Anything that looks pretty with it & gussies it up.

 

Those are absolutely spectacular.

Do you believe this is supposed to be either “Queen Zenobia” or “Samian Sibyl” or just a random fanciful woman? I’ll look for marks closer on the mount.

 

Would have never thought of that.

 

My guess is the last, although whoever designed it may have seen some version of the Zenobian Sibyl (or maybe Palmyran Sibyl would be the right term). The late 1800s into the early 20th century saw these hardstone ladies. My personal generic term for them is 'noblewomen', a wealthier class of pretty lady. You never see 2 (not counting a matched set like this) that are quite identical in hair & clothes. Would guess that some are inspired by portraits of royalty/nobility, but have no reason to believe that most are intended to be anyone in particular.

And now you'll never forget.

 

Yes, my “Not-La Peregrina” pearl may end up on a little loop now for just this occasion. As soon as I find a new jeweler.

 

Yep, this needs to be near the top of your to-do list. What you have now is a butcher.

I've seen La Peregrina, in a special exhibition on pearls. It is indeed a whopper.

 

What I have now was an idiot who will no longer get my business. Mistakes happen as do accidents. I understand that. What I don’t appreciate is someone gaslighting me like this jeweler was attempting to do.

I’ve never seen the pearl but I will one day. The only famous gem I’ve seen was the Hope Diamond.

 

Right there with you.

Random: I think it's possible that the third(ish) letter is a "b".

Random with a story: Also possible that the first letter is an "S" -- some may find it odd to mix up an "S" and an "L" , but I have extensive experience with this style of S/L in genealogy.

Got a branch of Mr. Jivvy's family that is either the See or Lee family (can't recall at the moment). Between handwritten family documents, news articles, and the census, you think it would be relatively easy to sort.

Nope. Only got it sorted with gravestones.

 

A real hot-button for me, as well.

Was so sad to read your other post on the damaged Schmoll.

 

They are beautiful.
Who is she and what is she trying to catch? (Apart from looking like she's trying for the local netball team!)

 

Wow!!! Superb!!! Here, these cameos earrings with original shepherd hooks are very expensive, and you have the brooch to go with them...

Agree with Bronwen, if french origin, they should be marked, once on the brooch needle, once on the catch and on each hook with a tiny eagle's head (Paris) or horse head for provincial assay.

 

https://www.artuk.org/discover/artworks/iris-210180

 

The set is the only thing I have ever bought on 1st Dibs, which you can understand to mean it cost me way more than I usually pay for things. The bail is not hinged & in seller's photos it looked like the bail stayed sticking up all the time, even when you wanted to wear the piece as a brooch, even though the catch for the pin is hinged, which usually indicates the pin is removable. I inquired & was told no parts could be removed. They also offered me a lower price & I succumbed.

Then got excited messages from my contact as she was packing it up that the bail does indeed unscrew & maybe the hinge & pin too, although she was afraid to try it. It converts as the hinged C catch indicated. I only wear it as a pendant.

When it arrived the first thing I did was check for a signature & behold:



Seller is a fairly posh California jewellery store. They completely missed it. Finding it made me feel less guilty about the expense. Only the pin/pendant is signed. I have seen this with some other sets; only the main piece has a signature.