Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

really?
that sucks!!!!!

Sorry for your loss. ....!

 

Your late friend had excellent taste, and, if she bequeathed this piece to you, your relationship must have been a very special one.

On the skimpy evidence I have seen so far, I do not believe Guyetant was himself a gem engraver. The picture I am getting is that Michelini's Paris shop was sufficiently successful that Guyetant thought it good strategy to hitch his name with Michelini's & remind people perhaps that he had taken over Michelini's stock, maybe that he intended to continue handling similar. Although there is no other signature on the veiled lady, I think it can be ruled out that Guyetant was the author.

I keep photo files of cameos with recognizable signatures. I have nearly 40 for Michelini, some of which live with me. The veiled lady does not look like any other piece of his I have seen. He became adept at using the layers of color in banded agate, but I have no example of his having pared down the white layer to gossamer. I am confident Michelini can also be ruled out as the author.

The setting says to me that if this is indeed a commissioned portrait, it was delivered & mounted with great love. Either way, there was once an owner who treasured this cameo. Sadly, the knowledge of the name of the sitter & of the engraver probably passed away with him/her.

 

Makes me crazy. We know somebody knew, and either never wrote it down or wrote it on paper that didn't survive. I went to an estate sale and bought a plane made from a kit. The maker was there and I had him sign it. Too bad the carver never signed that cameo.

 

Hammered for 130 GBP + 15% commission.

 

Wow wee-- that resin cameo went for a lot of money. I bet the buyer will be unhappy once they see the cameo in person.

 

Your cameo is absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for sharing it with us.

 

Wow, amazing cameos in this thread. Alas, this is pretty vin ordinaire but it is the first cameo that we picked up. Just like the looks of it. Not sure if it is resin or something else, and have no idea what the stamp in the metal means. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

 

The cameos are all hand carved helmet shell, but yes, pretty vin ordinaire in the world of cameos, but nice to have the pendant & clip earring set. The settings are Italian, with incomplete marks for 800 silver. The CA is in the style of a province mark; however there is no Italian province name that starts CA, so must be the maker. Afraid I don't know who, but knowing who not likely to increase value.

 

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. I actually didn't realize shells were used for cameos. A quick google search certainly brought up a lot of information.

From the earring clasps would it be fair to estimate they are from somewhere between 1920 to 1960?

I read up about cleaning shell cameos, and a soft bristle toothbrush and mild soap is suggested, but then to moisturize with oil. Is this a correct and what kind of oil? Would you ever clean the silver on these or just leave it? Hate to lose the vintage feel because of cleaning.

 

The cameos themselves do not look in need of cleaning to me. When I do clean, method depends somewhat on how they are set. These I would not hesitate to soak in mild soap & tap water, followed by the application of a soft toothbrush, pat dry, then leave to air dry for a good long period to make sure metal work is dry before putting away. When soaking is not advisable, I carefully apply toothpaste with the tip of a finger, rub it in, then bring on the trusty toothbrush. Rinse by holding piece sideways to running water & brushing out the paste. Dry well.

To oil/not to oil is a question among cameo collectors. I never oil & think it unwise for pieces that are going to be worn. You would not want the pendant to flip around, as they do, & leave oil on your favorite sweater. And earrings get enough oil while being handled to put on & take off. Oil is a dirt magnet.

There's no question that oil - mineral or baby oil - can revive dulled shell, and I can see doing it after hydrating a piece that is going to be displayed rather than worn. You have to clean off & redo periodically.

What are your plans for the set? If you're keeping, clean & polish to the appearance you want. Obviously don't use a dip tarnish remover. If you're preparing to sell, you may want to leave as is, some buyers of vintage like the evidence of age. I would put the set to the 1950s, maybe late 40s.

 

Thank you once again for sharing your expertise. We will keep these ones and I like the look. If the silver was going to be touched up I would likely use a sunshine polishing cloth but no plans to do that right now. I use the sunshine cloths for fountain pen nibs.

 

Wandering around online, came across this:

https://portraitcameos.com/what-is-a-commesso-cameo/

 

Those Art Nouveau examples are to die for!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Amazing what you can do with a standard cameo of Hera. Perhaps the best known commesso of our day is this one of the young Queen Victoria by Paul-Victor Lebas:

 

Pretty sweet work.

 

The devil made me do it. Or maybe it was the ghost of Raphael. Just won at auction, so won't have in hand for a bit yet.



Engraving not really of the highest quality, but hey, Second Hour of the Day:



@bluumz will understand & forgive me.

 

I'd be more surprised had u passed on those !!!!!

 

They will join a couple of their sisters. Third Hour of the Day, by Luigi Rosi:



And, appropriately, a watch pin with the Fourth Hour of the Day:



I have many other cameos of the Hours, but nearly all are shell. These are the hardstone girls.

 

WOO-HOO!
They're stunning!
Congrats on your acquisition.

 

Whoa. That wasn't temptation, that was a rescue operation. Keep 'em out of the hands of the 'ooh pretty pretty" crowd.