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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Bronwen, post: 3043136, member: 5833&quot;]Hardware first.&nbsp; That little extra piece of metal on the hinge, does it act as a spring that pushes the pin stem outward?&nbsp; If so, it may indicate the original clasp was of the C type.&nbsp; Placing tension on the pin is a mechanism to keep it from slipping out of the clasp.&nbsp; It&#039;s a feature of a better made piece.&nbsp; Obviously someone felt it needed more security.</p><p><br /></p><p>Interesting eccentric shape.</p><p><br /></p><p>As for the scene, the thought that comes to mind first is Salome dancing for Herod.&nbsp; However, I think the scene is meant to be set in Egypt.&nbsp; The musicians appear to be wearing Egyptian style wigs &amp; the shape of the harps echoes those in images of Egyptian harp players,</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]290818[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The harp in the foreground has a decorative head that suggests the Sphinx to me.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/qWrr6kOA_jxNqtSTDK-i2rNNaZ4soBMrki4EVRZlWgD9DgKtiC4OAPZ8Le0h-i9GQyvnlobcKwzLe9MB0oBrwyzf7v8RosihUVW-0mqBaz8QEx_MpOvd0A" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>From Wikipedia:&nbsp; Some women from wealthy harems were trained in music and dance. They danced for royalty accompanied by male musicians playing on guitars, lyres, and harps.[4]</p><p><br /></p><p>Does the man lounging &amp; being fanned in the background have a lion &amp; a lioness or a lion &amp; a dog below him?&nbsp; I&#039;m guessing dog.&nbsp; Pharaohs are often depicted hunting; these would be allusions to his prowess at the hunt.&nbsp; The fan is right out of western fantasies of life in the Egyptian royal court.&nbsp; The young man standing on the right is mysterious.&nbsp; He wears armor &amp; a fur collared cloak but has no weapon unless he does stick fighting.</p><p><br /></p><p>I can&#039;t think of any tale, mythological or Biblical that would be consistent with this scene.&nbsp; Any ideas out there?&nbsp; Cleopatra did not seduce Anthony by dancing for him.&nbsp; And she was pharaoh; the guy in the back wouldn&#039;t be there.&nbsp; There may well be a painting that inspired it.</p><p><br /></p><p>Very nicely done in helmet shell.&nbsp; Did the jeweller make any representation about the metal?&nbsp; It&#039;s a quality piece so would not be surprised if it is gold.&nbsp; It dates&nbsp; to what I am starting to think of as the Italian Cameo Revival.&nbsp; During the Victorian era demand for cameos became so great that anyone &amp; everyone was making shell cameos &amp; quality fell off.&nbsp; And then there was a short period, seems to have started in the 1920s &amp; lasted...? when cameos with a modern sensibility flourished.&nbsp; Giovanni Noto is one name we have from that period.&nbsp; This is in a similar style.&nbsp; Noto signed his work, but this cutter was probably in his orbit.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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