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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Bronwen, post: 290094, member: 5833&quot;]Hello All - Sorry, I was not ignoring you.&nbsp; I saw kyratango&#039;s post, replied to that one without realizing this one was here.&nbsp; In order to get this reply up quickly, I have only glanced at previous remarks, which I will go through after.</p><p><br /></p><p>She is carved in helmet shell, going by the color, probably <i>Cassis madagasariensis</i>, which provides a darker background layer than the other commonly used variety, <i>Cypraecassis rufa</i>.&nbsp; The carving is well executed and the piece appears to be in excellent condition.</p><p><br /></p><p>Saw she has already been correctly identified as the goddess Ceres/Demeter.&nbsp; For more about that and other examples, see:&nbsp; <a href="http://cameotimes.com/index.php/profiles-1/olympian-gods/ceres-demeter" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://cameotimes.com/index.php/profiles-1/olympian-gods/ceres-demeter" rel="nofollow">http://cameotimes.com/index.php/profiles-1/olympian-gods/ceres-demeter</a></p><p><br /></p><p>I think the findings are deceptive as to age.&nbsp; Looks to me like the clasp has been replaced to something more secure than the original.&nbsp; On the other hand, I do not think she is quite so old as the T hinge suggests.&nbsp; She looks right for around the time great-grandma got married and may have been an engagement gift, when she was no doubt bought new.</p><p><br /></p><p>You would have to have the metal tested to know for sure.&nbsp; Pinchbeck is a possibility.&nbsp; The little ring is an attachment point for a guard chain.&nbsp; Some of these were detachable; often enough the fine chain got pulled off.&nbsp; Can easily image unpinning the brooch to take it off &amp; forgetting to undo the little guard chain, with predictable results.</p><p><br /></p><p>Slammed this up as fast as I could.&nbsp; No doubt there will be corrections/additions needed.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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