Antique Shell Cameo Brooch/Pendant – Female Portrait – 800 Silver – c. 1880–1910

A small piece of jewellery, but with a face that has been around for over a century.
Finely carved, refined and handcrafted.
The portrait literally emerges from the natural layers of the shell.
A small piece of 19th-century decorative art that was once worn by a woman.
Now ready for a new chapter.

Product description

An exceptionally refined antique shell cameo, crafted as a brooch and set in a decorative 800 silver mount. At the centre is the elegant profile of a young woman, classically depicted with carefully rendered facial features, hair and clothing.

The cameo is rendered in the characteristic white on brown. This colour contrast is entirely natural: the image is carved from a layered shell, with the carver exposing the dark part of the shell and leaving the lighter material as raised relief. This creates the beautiful contrast between the white portrait of the woman and the warm reddish-brown background.

The depiction clearly has a classical, neoclassical character, a popular theme in 19th-century cameo art. The fine relief and the subtle detailing of the face make this small cameo particularly attractive.

The back is provided with an 800 silver hallmark. Thanks to the combination of brooch and suspension loop, the piece of jewellery can be worn both as a brooch and as a pendant.

The art of the cameo

A shell cameo is not painted. The artist works with the natural colour layers of the shell. By carving away the material around the portrait, the light top layer remains as relief and the dark layer underneath appears as the background. The result is a miniature portrait that is literally carved from the shell.

This type of cameo was developed into a refined art form mainly in Italy, particularly around Torre del Greco.

Date

The combination of the classical depiction of a woman, the design of the silver mount, the 800 silver and the execution fits well with the late 19th to early 20th century. We therefore date this piece at ca. 1880–1910.

Specifications