Featured Is this cameo style pendant old or made to look old?

This piece has a brass chain with flower accents, four glass beads and a spring clasp (which I neglected to photo). The pendant is also brass and the "cameo" is possibly celluloid or other plastic (not resin). It's not the prettiest cameo representation for sure. Is it an old piece and where do you think it was made? The pendant is 1 1/2" long and the chain is only 14".

 

Glass or ceramic, painted. Don't get it wet.

 

How old would it need to be to be old? Sometime 1950s onward, I would say. There was a lot of faux Victorian in the 60s.

 

Thanks @Bronwen. 50's/60's is old enough. Do you think American or European made? The lady is not cold to the touch so I don't think it's glass or ceramic.

 

Then we're kind of running out of options here. She's not shell. Have seen her before, so, a molded, mass produced piece. Does it seem hollow when tapped with a fingernail?

Still looks like glass to me, probably Czech, necklace probably assembled elsewhere. If we could see the back, we might find it is concave in the form of a mold. In fact, try tapping the back & see if that sounds hollow. You have the advantage of having it in hand, what do you think it is?

 

I remember a lot of similar "affordable" faux-Victorian costume jewelry in the 1970s. If plastic and brass, that's a possibility.

 

I can only touch her front but it doesn't seem hollow, just warm to the touch. The last picture is of the back, which is a solid brass plate so to speak. I am pretty sure she's some kind of molded plastic and with features not very well defined. The brass chain, frame and accents are what led me to ask if it was old piece. So its from the 1950's-1970's and made to look Victorian.

 

I'm not a cameo expert, but tend to agree with bluumz on the possibility of a 1970s timeframe (maybe even more recent). The scalloped metal bezel around the cameo looks newer to me. I've also seen fairly recent brass or brass-like delicate pendant necklaces that have little glass beads and decorative stamped brass elements on the chain similar to yours. It might help to see a close-up photo of the clasp. Edit: The 14" chain is short for a newer necklace, however.

 

I had one of these exact ladies in hand at one point (from a lot) and I sold it. Definitely plastic was my conclusion. Mine was set on a base metal adustable crackerjack ring. I would say 70s feels right.

 

Here is the clasp:

 

Thank you for posting a photo of the clasp. It looks old-ish, but I can't tell if it's brass with silver plating that's worn off, or silver-tone with brass plating. Maybe it's not original to the chain? I suppose it's also possible that someone glued the cameo to an older pendant since the bezel setting isn't riveted to the pendant. Sorry, I'm just raising more questions. Maybe you could run a magnet over the clasp, chain, and pendant to see if they stick to the magnet-- if they don't stick, they're not brass.

 

I will try the magnet. I did wonder if the cameo was a replacement because the rest of the necklace looks so much older.

I appreciate everyone's input. It helps so much when I am in a muddle.

 

My first reaction is that it's one of those 1990s Victorian Revival pieces not made to fool anyone. A lot were made in California of brass fittings that were never plated with anything at all. It might be older than that, but it's in the same vein.

 

Yes, the 1990s Victorian Revival pieces are what I was thinking of, but couldn't think of what to call them. Here's a 1980's pendant by '1928' that has the same scalloped bezel setting that I've only seen on inexpensive costume jewelry going back to maybe the 1960s.

 

???? If they don't stick they're not iron or an alloy containing iron. Brass does not contain iron & will not stick to a magnet.

 

Not mine, but always makes me chuckle:

 

The segments with the clear beads look home made to me. Think this has been rejiggered.

 

I love her. I would gift her to some younger family members to get them started loving cameos.

 

Thank you for the correction, Bronwen, my mind wasn't working. I always carry a little magnet in my purse when I want to check for brass.

 

Don't you find that you can often smell brass? Sometimes you have to warm it a little by rubbing on fabric or skin. The magnet is a nice indisputable confirmation.