Carvers began to use shells for their creations in the early 1880's. Most commonly, cameos portrayed the faces or images of Romanesque women. Most often they had upswept hairstyles and some were even adorned with jewelry. The cameos usually depicted the portrait of the "idealized" woman or god's and goddesses from mythology.

This large English cameo brooch is hand carved and from the Victorian (ca1880) era! Set in a lovely 15kt yellow gold bezel setting, the beautiful face of a young woman graces the center of the piece. Highly detailed, the woman is wearing a flower in her hair with small tendrils peeking down. Earrings hang from one of her ears, while a strand of beads wrests upon her neck. A fantastic Etruscan wirework gold frame surrounds the outside of the entire cameo and a c-catch clasp can be found on the back. This stunning cameo is simply wonderful and would make a lovely addition to any collection!

Measurements: The cameo measures approximately 1 5/8" long and approximately 1 1/4" wide. The overall size of the brooch measures approximately 2 1/8" long, 1 3/4" wide and slightly more than 1/4" thick.

Condition: The overall condition of the brooch is excellent. There are some scratches on the back of the cameo, but these are not noticeable when worn. The clasp fits snug and secure, and is in good working condition.