Italian 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 gorgeous large shell cameo brooch is hand carved and from the Victorian (ca1880) era. Set in a lovely coin silver bezel setting, the intricate figure of the Roman god of travelers, Mercury, graces the center of the piece. Highly detailed, the god is wearing his winked helm and boots and holding his caduceus, a winged staff with two snakes intertwined around it. A delicate etched silver frame, which is marked "800", surrounds the outside of the entire cameo which has a c-catch pin stem on the back. There are five pyrite stones set on each side of the cameo, with a total of 20 stones. This stunning cameo is wonderful and feminine, and would make a lovely addition to any collection!
Measurements: The cameo measures just over 1 1/2" long and 1 1/8" wide. The overall size of the brooch measures approximately 1 3/4" long, 1 3/8" wide, and a little less than 1/2" thick.
Condition: The overall condition of the brooch is excellent. There are no apparent damage to the cameo or the silver bezel. The clasp fits snug and secure and is in good working condition.
