Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Bronwen, post: 1830708, member: 5833&quot;]Seller describes it as neoclassical 17th century.&nbsp; It is not neoclassical in style; I think they are correct that it is 17th or very early 18th, although I&#039;m getting into territory where I barely know my way around.&nbsp; Engraved gems go in &amp; out of fashion.&nbsp; They were everywhere during the Roman Imperial time.&nbsp; Medieval ones are rare &amp; highly coveted by collectors with the money to buy them.&nbsp; The art declined &amp; Renaissance pieces are sometimes not very well carved, even if they are in a lavish setting.&nbsp; They are still coveted because of their scarcity.&nbsp; Interest revived in the 18th century &amp; some of the most amazing work comes from that time.&nbsp; (Check out the work of the <a href="https://www.khm.at/nocache/de/objektdb/?no_cache=1&amp;L=0&amp;query=Miseroni&amp;view=0&amp;rand=10&amp;page=13&amp;id=11227#object-73999v" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.khm.at/nocache/de/objektdb/?no_cache=1&amp;L=0&amp;query=Miseroni&amp;view=0&amp;rand=10&amp;page=13&amp;id=11227#object-73999v" rel="nofollow">Miseroni family</a> &amp; of <a href="https://www.khm.at/nocache/de/objektdb/?id=11227&amp;L=0&amp;q%5B%5D=Kameo&amp;q%5B%5D=Alessandro+Masnago&amp;view=0&amp;facet_date=-4500%3B2004&amp;sort=score%3Adesc" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.khm.at/nocache/de/objektdb/?id=11227&amp;L=0&amp;q%5B%5D=Kameo&amp;q%5B%5D=Alessandro+Masnago&amp;view=0&amp;facet_date=-4500%3B2004&amp;sort=score%3Adesc" rel="nofollow">Masnago</a>.)&nbsp; The 18th also saw a rise in collector interest to a fever pitch that carried over into the 19th.&nbsp; Then we all know what happened in the time of Queen Victoria, when contemporary cameos became a pop phenomenon.</p><p><br /></p><p>The disturbing scene on this one adds to its value, as it is not the sort of thing you see often (it&#039;s nagging at me to figure it out)&nbsp; &amp; something I noticed when I looked at other photos of it is that it may be signed, in a cryptic way.&nbsp; In the &#039;exergue&#039;, the blank space below the &#039;groundline&#039;, there is some additional engraving that seems unrelated to the scene above it, not clearly visible in the photo above.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]241595[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Sometimes this can be the device of the engraver.&nbsp; Age, rare subject, possible signature add up to a pricey piece.&nbsp; If it were not in damaged condition, the price would be much more.&nbsp; (It&#039;s in the neighborhood of 2,000, both GBP &amp; USD.)[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in