Cameo - 18 kt. Yellow gold - Pearl
02
days
14
hours
16
minutes
36
seconds
Current bid
€ 350
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Laura Trevino
She has 15 years' auction experience, specialising in vintage jewellery from 1920 to 2000.
Estimate € 1,000 - € 1,200
14 other people are watching this object
 | €350 | |
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| €110 | |
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Victorian-style pendant in 18 karat yellow gold with a conch cameo framed by a surround of ten white Akoya cultured pearls (3 mm, clean surface, excellent lustre), total weight 9.6 g, dimensions 5 x 3.5 cm, no laboratory report, origin Italy, unbranded.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
General Description of the Object
Classification and category: Jewelry – cameo pendant. Original function: personal adornment (pendant) with possible use as a brooch in some period variants, though the piece treated here is presented as a pendant since the needle was removed.
Materials and manufacturing technique: Shell cameo carved in shell with a profile of a female figure. 18 K gold mounting (750/1000), with a surround of 10 spherical pearls of about 3 mm each. Handcrafted relief carving technique on two-tone shell; bezel setting in a peripheral frame with geometric decoration (golden triangles) and a strand of pearls. Official gold stamp “750” on the ring.
Style and design: Classic inspiration (idealized female profile) characteristic of Victorian tradition cameos and their revivals. Perimeter decoration with golden triangles and pearls, a feature common in European mounts from the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century.
Condition: Excellent sharp carving, no visible delamination in the shell nor material losses; complete pearl surround; no significant dents or wear on the mounting. No prior restorations observed.
Dimensions and weight: 5 × 3.5 cm; total weight 9.6 g (includes shell and pearls), weight of gold with pearls 6.3 g. No maker’s mark or original box, but it is accompanied by the photos’ case.
Historical Origin and Context
Period and place of manufacture (estimate): Late Victorian/Edwardian or revival, circa 1900–1950, probably Western Europe (Italy/France/United Kingdom), depending on the shell carving and the pearl-set mount.
Original purpose and evolution: Personal adornment jewelry. Shell cameos were popular from the mid-19th century; during the first half of the 20th century production continued with gold mounts and pearls for a bourgeois audience.
Historical and stylistic relevance: The classical iconography of a female bust and the pearl surround align with historicist taste. In the absence of a signature or identifiable workshop, its relevance is representational rather than authorial.
Care and Restoration Advice
Conservation: Store the piece in a dry place protected from direct sunlight to avoid material wear.
Restoration: If necessary, consult a specialist in antique jewelry to perform any restoration, ensuring authenticity and integrity of the object are maintained.
Maintenance: Regularly clean with mild methods suitable for gold and Cameo, avoiding harsh chemicals.
Metal chain not included in the lot; used only for photography.
All Cameo components have been tested with acid.
Customs duties are the buyer’s responsibility depending on the country of purchase.
Shipped by postal courier with tracking code.
General Description of the Object
Classification and category: Jewelry – cameo pendant. Original function: personal adornment (pendant) with possible use as a brooch in some period variants, though the piece treated here is presented as a pendant since the needle was removed.
Materials and manufacturing technique: Shell cameo carved in shell with a profile of a female figure. 18 K gold mounting (750/1000), with a surround of 10 spherical pearls of about 3 mm each. Handcrafted relief carving technique on two-tone shell; bezel setting in a peripheral frame with geometric decoration (golden triangles) and a strand of pearls. Official gold stamp “750” on the ring.
Style and design: Classic inspiration (idealized female profile) characteristic of Victorian tradition cameos and their revivals. Perimeter decoration with golden triangles and pearls, a feature common in European mounts from the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century.
Condition: Excellent sharp carving, no visible delamination in the shell nor material losses; complete pearl surround; no significant dents or wear on the mounting. No prior restorations observed.
Dimensions and weight: 5 × 3.5 cm; total weight 9.6 g (includes shell and pearls), weight of gold with pearls 6.3 g. No maker’s mark or original box, but it is accompanied by the photos’ case.
Historical Origin and Context
Period and place of manufacture (estimate): Late Victorian/Edwardian or revival, circa 1900–1950, probably Western Europe (Italy/France/United Kingdom), depending on the shell carving and the pearl-set mount.
Original purpose and evolution: Personal adornment jewelry. Shell cameos were popular from the mid-19th century; during the first half of the 20th century production continued with gold mounts and pearls for a bourgeois audience.
Historical and stylistic relevance: The classical iconography of a female bust and the pearl surround align with historicist taste. In the absence of a signature or identifiable workshop, its relevance is representational rather than authorial.
Care and Restoration Advice
Conservation: Store the piece in a dry place protected from direct sunlight to avoid material wear.
Restoration: If necessary, consult a specialist in antique jewelry to perform any restoration, ensuring authenticity and integrity of the object are maintained.
Maintenance: Regularly clean with mild methods suitable for gold and Cameo, avoiding harsh chemicals.
Metal chain not included in the lot; used only for photography.
All Cameo components have been tested with acid.
Customs duties are the buyer’s responsibility depending on the country of purchase.
Shipped by postal courier with tracking code.
Details
Style
Victorian
Pearl type
Akoya cultured pearl
Laboratory report
No laboratory report
Era
1900-2000
Fineness
18 kt.
Number of pearls
10
Brand jewellery
No
Metal
Yellow gold
Diameter of pearls (in mm)
3 mm
Pearl colour
White
Surrounding stones
Pearl
Total weight
9.6 g
Pearl shape
Circle
Condition
Excellent condition - barely used with minimal signs of wear
Country of origin
Italy
Gender
Women
Pearl surface quality
Clean
Pearl lustre
Excellent
Width
3.5 cm
Length
5 cm
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Catawiki always aims to offer you the best possible buying experience. Our experts virtually review and select every object in line with our submission guidelines. While we strive to provide a detailed description and photographs of each jewellery object, discrepancies or inaccuracies may occur. It is your responsibility to review all of the information provided about an object, including the condition and description, before placing an order. Sellers are responsible for the information, pictures and description provided, including the quality, quantity and nature of the jewelry supplied. A small imperfection that cannot be seen in the photo but is included in the description is not a non-conformity. A Lab Report is not a guarantee, valuation or appraisal regarding the articles described therein. A Lab Report contains only the characteristics of an article described after it has been graded, tested, examined, and analyzed using the techniques and equipment used at the time of the examination from that specific Lab. The results of any other examination performed on the article may differ depending when, how, by whom and with which grading standard the article is examined. In addition, any changes and improvements in techniques and equipment that may have occurred which may enable the examiner to detect, among other things, the use of processes for altering the characteristics of an article which use was previously undetectable, does not automatically mean the object does not conform to its description.
Catawiki always aims to offer you the best possible buying experience. Our experts virtually review and select every object in line with our submission guidelines. While we strive to provide a detailed description and photographs of each jewellery object, discrepancies or inaccuracies may occur. It is your responsibility to review all of the information provided about an object, including the condition and description, before placing an order. Sellers are responsible for the information, pictures and description provided, including the quality, quantity and nature of the jewelry supplied. A small imperfection that cannot be seen in the photo but is included in the description is not a non-conformity. A Lab Report is not a guarantee, valuation or appraisal regarding the articles described therein. A Lab Report contains only the characteristics of an article described after it has been graded, tested, examined, and analyzed using the techniques and equipment used at the time of the examination from that specific Lab. The results of any other examination performed on the article may differ depending when, how, by whom and with which grading standard the article is examined. In addition, any changes and improvements in techniques and equipment that may have occurred which may enable the examiner to detect, among other things, the use of processes for altering the characteristics of an article which use was previously undetectable, does not automatically mean the object does not conform to its description.
