Featured A Most Unusual Cameo Pendant 10K

It seems like the only items I buy at auction anymore are these obscure items that seem impossible to identify! Then again, for only $5.00, I couldn't pass this up!

The cameo resembles meerschaum but I am not positive. The back has a glass door that opens. The cameo is surrounded by little birds, seed pearls and probably rubies or garnets. The frame and back test positive for 10K gold. The decoration in front is not gold. The latch for the door is missing. It measures 2 inches tall, 1.5 inches wide and 3/4 inch thick.

I have a feeling this piece is a marriage. Why have a gold frame and then cover it with non-gold items? Your thoughts?

 

Have you tested any of it? It's amazing.

And you got it for 5 bucks??!!

 

Yes, the frame tested for 10K but the decoration around the frame is not gold

 

Like you say it could be a marriage.....and a nice one at that.
It reminds me of a mourning locket ......on steroids !!

 

Extremely nice

 

Plated or rolled gold will test positive for gold if you do not take a file to it first. It's certainly an odd looking thing.

 

Incredible for $5. I would guess the back held a lock of hair.

 

Sorry, the rest of it, like the stones and the birds?

Do you think the front metal is pinchbeck?

 

Pinchbeck! Teehee...snort..giggle! I had to look that one up! Now that I am enlightened, I believe you are correct.

Do ya'll think I should go with it being mourning locket because of the glass door in back?

AF, yup, I took a file to it and it's gold, I tell ya! GOLD!

 

Wow...what a buy !!!!

 

People kept hair mementos of living people, too...

It's just stunning

It could still be shell cameo. Meerschaum is a hunk of minerals, carved and treated with wax and heat to stabilize, but probably not to the hardness of shell. I don't know how translucent it is, but light will pass through shell enough to make it translucent.

Only you can tell!

 

Because of the high relief, I'm thinking it might be made of something like lava. Lava cameos from Italy were very popular in the 19th century, and they are often in very high relief. Shell cameos usually are not. The only question is, were lava cameos ever such a light color? I do see some that are fairly light in Google image search:
https://www.google.com/search?q=lav...KEwiIk_z-oaXMAhVCyYMKHcrKDOMQ_AUICCgD#imgrc=_

Oh, and I love the birds on the setting on yours.

 

I wonder lava, too, Fig - but this one looks kind of glossy... and fine. Could lava be polished out to a fine surface?

I thought maybe a very large shell where it's jointed might provide enough material to carve something with that high relief.

It'd be fairly easy to tell the difference, wouldn't it? Lava would show porosity, and shell protein growth.

I'm totally crushing on this damn thing - it's just too... lurv.

 

It is gorgeous, that is for sure! I do have a couple of lava cameos of the sort of tan or taupe color.

 

It's could be lava. Definitely not shell. Not translucent at all. I was thinking meerschaum because of how thick it is. I also got the NA necklace and Taxco bracelet for $5.00 each. Strange day at the auction. 25 people gathered around the jewelry display case and I was the one and only bidder with an opening bid of $5.00. Afterwards, my "competitor" friends all said what a great deal I got. Well...DUH!

 

Wow, super nice cameo and deal on all three. Congrats

 

My bet is that its stone, finely brushed. Unique.

 

Actually if compare color of frame to metal of decor around - it is even on the pictures looks like gold... without the testing..... I smell it.... Gold!

 

Also because usually gold don't used just with metal, probably the "decor" is made from sterling and gold plated.... If I am right there is slightly visible "gray" metal thru "gold" coat.

 

Antique Italian High Relief Lava Cameo Rolled Gold Victorian Goddess Brooch Pin



They could be sisters...