Featured CAMEOS: Show & Tell or Ask & Answer

Byne's or dryness from harsh cleaning...

 

Poor babies, they have been abused

 

More like some kind of cleanser. Probably still looked OK while wet; then it dried out. What a mess.

 

I had perfect result on dried red coral (had to wash coral branch necklace full of grime...) with baby oil on a soft hairs paint brush!
Perhaps shell would love some baby oil?
Bronwen, have you tried to oil some shell cameos?

 

There are people who wash, soak & oil pieces at least once a year. I consulted someone who sells shells, corals, etc., to collectors & she said shell collectors may soak a shell in water with a bit of baby oil added & that it can work wonders. The oil would not mix in, but I can see this as a way to get it smoothly distributed over the surface as you lift the piece out of the water. Guess you would then have to let it air dry.

I see different advice on this matter. It doesn't seem ever to hurt shell, but it would just act like glue for the next layer of grunge. What passes for dust here is black, oily, & gets everywhere, even into closed cabinets. I don't need to add oil to the surface of pieces.

Have never been sorry that I did not oil but have never tried to cosmetically improve something that was terminally damaged. After removing what can be taken off of the corrosion product, oil can improve the appearance of, although not repair, Byne's damage.

 

I picked this up because it was dirt cheap, obviously old, and (of course) a cameo. I’d like to save it for my oldest daughter whose name actually begins with S but, at this point in her life at least, she’s not interested in antique… only ancient, LOL. She loves medieval style and decor. Anyway, I’m thinking this piece is from around 1900-ish? The natural striping of the shell in the ground is very pretty and the stylization of the S is gorgeous.

 

Wonder if it is carved into an operculum? Can you tell whether the back is concave or flat? Very pretty & not one of the new initial ones. Backing obviously not purpose built for this piece, which for me gives it added charm.

 

Close inspection, and a pin inserted into the space, reveal that the back of the shell itself is indeed concave.

 

Effective and showy, but very heavy to wear.

 

I'll just bet it is. Fun though.

 

So now I'm thinking maybe cowrie. Is it pretty glossy all over?

 

Bought new in Amsterdam about 14 years ago. Glass "cameos" very realistic. Very unusual for me to buy a new piece of jewellery.

 

Are they nearly all different from one another, even if it's just in color? That's what particularly caught my eye, since cameo/intaglio bracelets so often have duplicates even when there are fewer than on our bracelet. Does it jingle?

 

They are all different. Every setting, also, is different. Solid metal panel backs, hence heavy. Jingly clunky sound. Very eyecatching. I love it, although it is quite new.

 

Now you need spurs that jingle jangle jingle.

 

The Dutch make some cool costume jewelry; it doesn't get exported much, more's the pity. I've found a few random pieces here too.

 

Now that you mention it, it does have just a bit of sheen not seen on my "regular" cameos.

 

I googled carved cowrie shell, which led to bEtsy, which led to...

 

It was COLD out when she posed for that!