![Loetz Richard III-1275 [1921]: a Pair.](https://d3h6k4kfl8m9p0.cloudfront.net/stories/xHPb8cB90EdcG-SPS.PEIw-thumb.jpeg)
Posted 5 years ago
billretire…
(592 items)
I saw this Lava Cameo and Silver Metal Bracelet at the Flea Market on Sunday 11/17/2019, and wanted to know if it is a real Lava Cameo, or how you can tell if it's Lava, or a molded clay? The Seller doesn't know anything about it, just got it at an Estate Sale.
Thank you for looking, these are the only photos that I have, any information, or comments are welcome and appreciated! :^)
Thanks to cameosleuth's knowledge on these Lava Cameos, we're pretty sure that they are real! :^D
Thanks for taking a look Mrstyndall, and for the love that you gave! :^D I wish that the photos could have been better but I just took them on the fly! :^)
No problem, Bill, wish I could help on identifying, but I am not an expert on cameos. Hopefully someone else can shed some light. It’s a cool either way.
Here's a similar one on ebay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Victorian-Cameo-Bracelet-w-6-Genuine-Italian-Lava-Stones-Silver-6-75-L/273247600095?hash=item3f9ed37ddf:g:FV8AAOSw5utacM4W
The one that I have in the photos, might be sold already but I hope not! :^)
Thank you for stopping by, Jenni, Brian, and Thomas, and for the love that you gave! :^)
Good day Pascale, thanks so much for the love that you gave! :^D I got a little antique pottery bowl that's made in France, that I got at the Flea Market, and I'll post it soon, I hope that you can see it too! :^)
Thank you Kevin, for the love that you gave! :^)
Hello, Bill. No reason to think it is not 'lava', a generic term which in this case means solidified volcanic ash, as most lava cameos are. The only 'clay' cameos I see are pottery by Wedgwood & other manufacturers of similar ware.
The question with cameos like these is not lava v. clay, it is hand carved v. molded. One of the best ways to make that distinction, with cameos in any material, is whether you can find 1 or more others that are exactly like it. Here, the right facing ladies of the left are clearly all pretty much the same figure. However, although the photo makes it difficult to be 100% sure, they seem to have the small differences expected in individually carved pieces. The threesome facing left are each different & exhibit in places the angularity of hand work (molded pieces have rounded lines so they can be released easily from the mold). Although they could be added for effect, the scrape marks on the backs are also encouraging for chiseling.
The cameos on the left appear to be based on the ubiquitous & anonymous 'Ponytail Girl', who is seen mainly molded in man made material but sometimes also carved in a natural substances. Cameos on the right seem to be the same basic figure, except one has the diadem of Hera, the next has the grain stalks of Ceres & the figure on the far right (swear I'm not being political here) is crowned with ivy like a bacchante/maenad, a female follower of Bacchus/Dionysus.
Bracelet looks very well made - nice find! :)
Wow! Thank you cameosleuth, for all the information! :^D I stopped by the Sellers Table again today 11/24/19, and because they're friends, I let them know what I thought they were, and approximate value, and age because of others that I saw on line, but now with your information, I can let them know that they are probably real! Thank you again! :^)
Thank you all for stopping by for a look, and for the love that you gave for this Lava Cameo Bracelet,
Maureen
Kevin(kwqd)
foseatme
aura
my #1 Mary,
and bb2 was here! It's appreciated! :^)
You are very welcome. Will add that while it may be vintage, it is not old enough to be antique.
Ok, thanks cameosleuth, because the link to the one on ebay that I found, says that it's Victorian 19th Century, and it looks very much the same as the one posted here, same links and clasp, but they may still be making them the same now, as then, as souvenirs! :^)
'but they may still be making them the same now,'
They are. Without seeing the one you used for comparison, I can't know what my assessment would be. Seller descriptions are not always correct, as I'm sure you know. If I believed everything I read on eBay, I would think all cameos were made in 1880.