Featured large stone? carved cameo

hi folks

something i found on my travels today. bought in a house clearance shop for not very much

cold as stone, and heavy, but cant quite work out what it is

looks nicely carved to me

any info on the piece very much appreciated

 

It's some earlier polymer, probably no longer made due to lack of durability. Have not seen this particular one before. It is probably based on one of Raphael's many Madonnas. Looks ready to shatter, so have a care.

 

https://www.tripimprover.com/blog/madonna-of-the-pinks-by-raphael

 

Isn't she lovely? (Madonna of the Pinks.)

Debora

 

very helpful thanks bronwen, great to know what the image is

polymers a bit of a bummer though !, would polymer be translucent like this is though ?, was sure it was stone

 

You may as well give it a hot pin test at back edge.

 

Well, this one is really weird! Jesus seems to be wearing glasses, and the creator of this widget is obviously a super modest soul. Also, the Virgin seems to be holding one of Disney's mice.

And, WHAT "pinks"?

 

I know of no reason why not. We see clear colorless plastics all the time. Perspex substitutes for glass in airplane windshields.

I see no reason to do any testing. It is clearly something man made, but not successful like Bakelite or Celluloid, so who cares what it was called.

Maybe an early attempt by or competitor of the company who made these ubiquitous cameos:



Most of these are unblemished, but when they fall apart...

 

yeah i was thinking the same thing

 

looks like a casting not a carving....

 

It is indeed out of a mold.

 

well stone it aint, hang my head in shame, how could i have doubted you bronwen

 

A good learning experience. And we're lucky to have @Bronwen who's so generous in sharing her expertise.

Debora

 

OK. I looked it up. Mouse is a carnation. The rest of the peculiarities are due to the polymer used.

(I don't think the painting is a Raphael either. If I ever get to meet St. Peter, I'll ask him if he knows.)

 

She sure is squeezing Mickey.

 

Back is 20s or 30s ish.

 

Good to know it has a bit of age to it at least

I'll hold my hands up, I thought it was better than a moulded plastic

I do like cameos though so indeed a learning curve

 

I try and try too. I look at them and worry I am missing something good. It's hell.

 

Yeah, I'm not usually caught out very often with things

I can usually tell if things have genuine age or not instantly

But buying things for cheap you can't go wrong !!

 

It is not to be dismissed entirely. It's a rarity in its own right; most of its sisters have probably disintegrated completely. It was mass produced, yet I have not seen it before, or even this subject in cameo form. People with an interest in early plastics & those like @PepperAnna & I, who have an interest in the history of cameos in a broad way, find such things interesting.