Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

ooh, exciting!

I dunno why.

 

'Cuz you're a sucker for a pretty signature.

 

@Bronwen and @kyratango
I finally got around to trying to set the cameo into the mount. This is my rather messy amateur-ish result, arrived at after several attempts, but it works. I made the mistake of clipping off the original loop at the top because it seemed too long. The remaining wire was, of course, too short to make a new loop. But I worked it out. It has made an unset cameo wearable, so I’m happy.

 

Yay! Good to see it wearable!
I saved this mounting in my list to buy

 

My collection thus far. My very first cameo is the small-ish pretty lady in the upper right corner. My mother offered to gift me something new for my wedding day (something old, something new…) and I had already decided that I wanted to wear a cameo so this is what she bought, along with the little earrings pictured in the lower part of the ring holder section. A few of the other cameos have been gifts but the majority have been purchased by me in the last year since learning more about them from the ever-helpful @Bronwen.
They make me happy.

 

I love your collection! They are very pretty ladies indeed! Really like the top very top left one.

 

Thanks!
She was purchased at a local estate auction.

 

Messing about with my collection and deciding to keep it all in one place/box got me to thinking about brooch storage. I don't (right now, anyway) want to "display" it, just store it in an organized, safe manner. The current jewelry box was a spare and works okay but I've been looking for something sectioned. I find lots of sectioned boxes for ring, earring, even watch storage but nothing sized appropriately for brooches. (Though I did find open display trays.)
Then I thought of tea boxes... I saw a couple at a local thrift recently and am considering going back for them. Any other ideas for brooch storage (not necessarily display)?

 

I love your collection!

 

Love your new avatar! Who is she?

 

That is so naughty!
Brazen and blatant

 

It's actress Mary Anderson (1859-1940). The same actress as in my previous avatar, but in costume this time. She may be in costume in the other one but it looks like street clothes. I have gathered quite a few photos of her through time. A different photo of Mary happened to be the first in my theatrical photo collection although I didn't know that at the time I bought it.

 

We have celebrated the ones in the left hand compartment with you. Really great acquisitions, all.

You have also picked up some of 'my' girls:



Have we seen a closeup of the cameo that is not Mercury in the top center compartment? That also looks like a nice piece. Do you have any specific questions about any of them. Guessing you're good on knowing the materials.

 

Afraid my collection is well beyond the 'keep all in one place' stage. Would love to have the funds to commission & a place to put a purpose built cabinet. Many of my earlier ones found little niches in an already well occupied display cabinet, larger ones on acrylic easels, most lying flat. At least as many more are in little boxes, alone or occasionally with others by the same cutter, strewn (OK, not quite strewn, slightly more orderly) in a handful of places, including ranged around the edges of the desk. I bought an inexpensive new machinist's chest to house things that are neither particularly valuable nor something I want to see regularly. I bought a nice pre-owned sewing chest, thinking to keep the real treasures, in boxes, there. It quickly filled up. Not everything that got placed there qualifies as a treasure (as a thief would define it). Need to put some that I value but that are not set into the display cabinet & move some other things in.

There's the conflict of keeping things safe from dust, damage & theft vs. being able to see/wear & enjoy them easily. I get to see many of mine when I'm opening boxes looking for another. I can never remember which cameo is in which box.

Before buying & putting into service anything for your cameos, please read up on 'Byne's Disease'. The tea box may not be a good idea.

 

There is another version of the Mazeppa story that makes it on to cameos:



@bluumz @Jivvy Will put 'Ann' on the signature thread.

 

Thanks! I posted about it in Post #1764. You were very helpful!

No questions... just showing 'em off.

 

Yes! They went up for sale at a local estate auction. They were completely blackened, I’ve done my best to clean the silver and I’ve also replaced the screwbacks on the earrings with pierced leverbacks. Not very well carved but acquired cheaply.
Some carvers, I’ve noticed, do better than others at having somewhat crudely carved items appear nice from afar.

 

I would rate these as better than crude, especially given how tiny they are & imagine they 'read' quite well from just a little distance.

 

The new Tignani Flora. Depth of mount in the back suggests she once had a glazed cover for a memento compartment. Smells like brass. Before & after; see she needs to go back in the bath for a bit more. Why can't I ever notice before I photograph?

 

Love her! (And hair)