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Tag: Cameo

Modern Cameos

February 11, 2014 /

IMG_6075 copy

I have just returned from the gem shows at Tucson Arizona. Tucson is the place where the whole gem and jewellery world gathers to who off what is new, interesting, and happening. I go there to learn what is in the market, to give lectures, and participate on specialist panels.

I was struck by the work of the Italian cameo worker Vincenzo Imposimato. The work of this artist is very distinctive. Even items that depict conventional images show unique elements, and most are entirely distinctive.

The designs are unlike others that I have seen. It is rare for cameos to be pierced with openings from front to back.

These carvings will make for very distinctive jewels.

At auction, we regularly feature cameos, and many of them are artist pieces that are unique representations of their own time. Recently, Lot 460 in the Spring 2013 sale featured a very fine art cameo by Nino Ammendola.460

Portrait Cameo

November 23, 2013 /
AN ANTIQUE PORTRAIT CAMEO AND GOLD PENDANT/BROOCH, CIRCA 1870

AN ANTIQUE PORTRAIT CAMEO AND GOLD PENDANT/BROOCH, CIRCA 1870

Cameos are small art works often in the form of carved gems. We associate cameos with a white to cream figure on a pink to orange-brown background in the most traditional carved shell cameos. While some of the finest work is in carved shell, historically, agates, chalcedony and other quartz are among favourite media for cameo artists dating back to ancient Egypt.

While these days, cameos are often seen as production line jewels with pointy nosed caricatures of an idealized woman’s head, there are still some exceptional cameo artists working today. Naples is the cameo carving centre of Italy, and some of the workshops have volume carvers working side by side with carvers creating unique one-of-a-kind pieces. It is good to see the art has not been lost.

In the upcoming November 24th Dupuis auction found at www.dupuis.ca there is a most interesting and unique cameo. Lot 201 is a “portrait” cameo. This is a 19th century cameo made as a portrait of an individual, and it is offered with a hand tinted photograph of the gentleman, stated to be George Colyer. Comparing the two images, it is clearly the same man. He has the same curly head, and the same inscrutable look. This is certainly a fascinating antique. For more information, go to: http://bit.ly/17EkKlM

George Colyer Photograph

George Colyer Photograph

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