Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

George’s setting was advertised as pinchbeck. I’ve been reading quite a bit about it and I have my doubts that it actually is Pinchbeck. Most of it is the color of copper however there are a few areas that are the color of gold. I’m thinking he was simply gold plated?

 

It certainly appears that way in the photo. As you've no doubt read, pinchbeck is basically a particular formula for brass, which includes copper in the mix. Do you think part of the mount is missing? What is happening here?



@Hollyblue is better than I am on this aspect.

 

The photo is too out of focus to tell,an in focus photo of the area, a side view and the backside of the pendant might help.

 

Thanks for taking a look, Holly. When bluumz is able to post some sharper pix, will be very interested in your assessment. Happy New Year!

 

reflection when taking photo perhaps?

 

One of my biggest handicaps when trying to evaluate a cameo from photos is that I have trouble gauging depth, seeing things as raised or depressed when they are not, or reversing, & seeing a concavity when the surface is actually elevated. So bluumz will have to clarify.

 

If anyone has become fascinated with Olenin, this is the promised second part of the paper about him in Library Journal:

https://books.google.com/books?id=G...QAQ#v=onepage&q=koch librarian olenin&f=false

 

Yes, just reflection.
I'll try to get some better photos but I'm limited with my old phone.

I look forward to reading further about Olenin!

 

I expect a book report by Monday.

 

LOL, I’ll have to look for cliff notes.

I’m afraid this photo is the best I can do to show the color change from a gold-ish area to a copper looking area. The surface is so shiny that I cannot prevent some reflection. For instance, the little black lines near the top of the setting pictured are reflection, they are not on the setting itself. And the reflection on the lower part of the setting is me in my pajamas! (I'm wearing a yellow t-shirt and red pajama pants.)

With this cameo, I feel the value is in the cameo itself, not the setting. Nevertheless, how much of a detriment is it to the value of the piece as a whole if it is not pinchbeck but instead it is goldplated with most of the plating worn off?

 

I agree, too, that this used to have a flip back... the setting is fairly deep, and as you said the holes in the top and bottom seem to do it. But the pin closure in the back is in a 19th-century style so it was converted a long time ago, also as you said.

Some of your photos in this post give an idea of the color changes you are talking about. Can't say that I've ever seen anything exactly like that. From what I can see it doesn't look like worn plating. But there are others here who know way, way more than I do about things like that.

EDIT to add: The post that I copied above was number 874. There are more photos.

 

That just posed another question,the 2 holes one on top and the other on the bottom.Was the piece something other a brooch and the pin hardware added at a later date.

 

It would have been this sort of thing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/202553264037

 

Thanks, Bronwen, I was just googling "swivel cameo" for examples to present and you beat me to it.
They seem to most often have a mourning item (hair or photo) on the backside. Something that the wearer wanted close to their heart.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mourning-swivel-brooch-cameo-hair-1892977803

 

Just found this less than flattering account of him:

https://books.google.com/books?id=B...#v=onepage&q=olenin medal academy art&f=false

Absolutely. The cameo is excellent.

Not sure the value would be much different, as there is also the issue of the cover for the memento compartment being lost & the whole thing being made over.

Nor I, which is why I was hoping Holly could enlighten us.

 

Here is a swivel cameo that was originally goldplated but now most of the copper is visible:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-swivel-cameo-gold-plated-478187553

 

I've never seen gold over copper, but gilt brass is common. May be this was a copper-heavy brass formula. Love how the seller admitted to being completely clueless about the whole thing.

I refuse to believe that every photo or lock of hair belonged to a beloved deceased, just the way I don't accept that all black jewellery is mourning wear. Can see a woman wearing photo or lock of a living child or husband, and Victoria's adoption of widow's weeds set a fashion for everyone. No way to be sure unless the piece is also engraved with life dates.

 

Pinchbeck today is referred as jeweler's brass,NU-Gold,red brass.Depending on the ratio of copper and zinc the color can look like 14K yellow gold or reddish gold,the material works much like 14K gold.

 

Quite right!

 

I did see that pinchbeck is made using a large amount of copper and at first I wasn't concerned.
But upon further reading, if I understand correctly, it's a homogeneous mix of copper and zinc so surface wear wouldn't cause a visible color change?