Identifying authentic cameos

Im going to the auction tonight and they have a good few cameos.
I was there when the lady brought it all in and got a quick glance at them and they dont look plastic or resin.


There are about 4 that I like and I want to be sure I dont pay too much for them.
They are all black and white.

Once is a rose on a black background that is carved out and is a more gray white
Another is a woman in the same fashion of the black and gray facing right.
Another one is a woman that is on a black background but she is pure white and facing right.
The last one is a woman on a white background and is done in solid black and she is facing left.


I cant be tapping them to my teeth or sticking hot needles in them in front of everyone.
I wasnt sure if black was a "normal" color for authentic cameos or not.
Ive read that the structure of the nose is a good indicator to.
Big roman type nose is pre 1860, straighter nose is more victorian, and a button type nose is more todays style.


Does anyone have any tips?

 

Oh, god, do not use a hot needle on anything except a boil!

What motivates people to ruin items simply because they want a quick and easy answer? I'm not criticizing you; I'm sure someone in the business suggested it, but there are heathens everywhere. Imagine, if you will, that there are folks who collect vintage plastic jewelry and pay good money for it as long as it's not full of holes. I used to do very well with vintage jewelry.

You have info about the profile, so that's a start. I don't know what else to say without seeing them. The only black and white cameos I've sold were celluloid from the early 20th century, so I don't have experience with carved ones. I'm very curious to know what they'd be made from.

 

Please come back and let us know what happened.

 

I have one picture from the site. Its not a detailed picture, but it can give you an idea of what Im looking at

 

Banded onyx can give that black and white effect, but I'm guessing any number of materials can be made to look the same.

 

Maybe some of those cameos are of an all-black material with a frosted portrait against a polished ground.

 

Would they have done such things during the victorian era?

 

I can tell a little from the photo... I used to purposely collect cameos made from all sorts of materials (agate, shell, plastic, glass, resin, etc.). Thus, I can recognize a lot of things by sight. But would need closer pics to tell more. I realize you don't have those.

The photo is too small for me to be positive of all of them... I think the black and white one at the top is a relatively cheap one. I have some like this and can't always even in hand tell if the black backing is glass or stone. But generally the type with a stark white head with no gradation in color with a dark glassy background is one in which the white part is glued to the black part. And just the style of it looks more modern to me. And the woman's head is molded, not carved. 20th century for sure.

The flower one in the upper left might be dyed agate -- which means if it is, it is a more modern one, but would still have value. However, it also could be plastic or glass. I just can't see it well enough.

The one in the middle row is not clear enough for me to see well enough to make a comment.

The woman you circled in the bottom row that looks kind of like the rose might also be dyed agate... but it could be something else

The one you circled to the far right also looks molded, not carved, to me. It may be made of glass if it is not plastic.

There are a few of the smaller ones that might possibly be shell cameos, but I can't tell for sure from the photo. Most of them look newer than Victorian, although it's possible some of the smaller ones could end up being that old. And, beware the "ponytail girl." -- Those are all modern ones, and cheap.

 

I'm not one to hazard a guess on how old they might be. Quality should be your guide rather than age.

 

All of the bluish-black looking ones in this search result are modern dyed agate cameos. I think they are beautiful. I have one that is more of a blue color. I bought it at a museum shop some years ago.
https://www.google.com/search?q=dye...iD6oTLAhXC1R4KHTOIBkEQsAQIIw&biw=1680&bih=953

 

Way too hard to tell. From this small picture, none are looking Victorian to me. They look more 1970s. You'd really have to scrutinize the settings they are in as well. Good quality cameos are going to be in gold or sterling, not base metal.

 

I'm probably too late to help.
Real cameos are shell.

Black ones with white, will be plastic or glass.
The solid black one is most likely glass. 1950s-60s.

There are only two that I would want a closer look at, the rest look relatively new.

Top right

Located on the bottom row.
The cameo on the bottom left and possibly the ring.

 

I noticed the one on the top right. It's similar to a pin that belonged to my grandmother circa 1898.

 

Good answer. Actually, though, cameos can also be carved from agate and lava, among other stones and stone-like materials. Those are also considered real. In fact, the carving of cameos from agate and other stone has been going on for hundreds of years and preceded the use of shell.

The ring was the one I was wondering about the most, to possibly be of stone. It may also be shell, and may even be plastic or something else. It's hard to tell.

 

Because the one at the top right is a ponytail girl, I'm suspicious. I suppose some of those could be shell but most are various types of plastic or resin.

 

Plastic.
All of them.

I was so disappointed.
I bought a ring though. It is a very simple coral and turquoise, but I liked it.


Thank yall for your help!
I know better now what to keep my eye out for

 

The ring sounds nice. Post in the Finds thread, if you think of it!

 

Yes, I thought of that after I replied. However you don't generally see very many agate or lava stone cameos anymore. The shell and plastic are more readily found, at least here.

I couldn't see the ponytail in the angle at which it is shown. You are probably correct.

 

Don't know if you saw that SeaGoat has now confirmed that they were all plastic.

 

Yes just did, thank you.