Large Antique Shell Cameo With Locket in Gold, Around 1870

History does not repeat itself - but there are nevertheless some commonalities that connect us with previous generations and that still exist today: One of these traditions is to bring home souvenirs from the trip to remind loved ones of the adventures and experiences, the places visited, and to keep one's own memory alive. The present brooch, a large medallion with a finely worked shell cameo on the front, was created on such an occasion, in Italy, in the years around 1870. We see a dignified gentleman in profile, whose clothing and carefully coiffed hair attest to his at least middle-class status. The portrait was probably painted in the Bay of Naples, which was an obligatory stop on every educational trip through Italy. In the region at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, specialised artists produced portraits of travellers and carved them into shells. As souvenirs, these representations were given to loved ones back home. The cameo is set in gold in the taste of the 1860s to 1870s. For dating, see the pieces illustrated in David Bennet and Daniela Mascetti: Understanding Jewellery, Woodbridge 2010, pp. 168-175. Fine twisted cords are laid on the wide frame, forming ornaments from the realm of plants. On the reverse the brooch is designed as a large medallion. An elaborate ornament of hair is inlaid under a glass pane. Presumably this is the hair of the gentleman depicted, who wanted to be close to the wearer of the brooch in picture and hair. Even though his name has not been preserved: The memory of him and an unforgettable summer in Italy retains this wonderfully preserved brooch to this day.

Estimate:$2,462.75

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