Posted 12 years ago
Agram.m
(762 items)
False too wonderful, extremely rare, full body antique Victorian (circa 1850's??) exquisitely carved Pompeii Lava Mount Vesuvius cameo.
The subject is a young woman - perhaps a goddess - masterfully carved in highest relief. She protrudes from the surface of the cameo in 3 dimensional high-relief, and is carved even underneath. It is like a small wearable statue! The lady has a ringlet of leaves and grapes in her meticulously detailed hair. And even her necklace is beautiful detailed carved. Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, was surrounded by free-spirited female followers with a bit of a wild or frenzied side. Bacchantes, as they were known, were a popular subject in art dating from ancient Rome to the modern period and typically depicted wearing grape vines and leaves.
I think this stunning high relief lava cameo depicts a gorgeous sheathe draped female Bacchante with grapes and grape leaves in her hair. The brooch measures 2.8 inches high and 1.6 inches wide, with a depth of over 3/4 inch! It is very substantial and weighs 36 grams.
The carving is amazing - intricate and highly detailed - created by a true Italian master carver - most likely purchased during someone's Grand Tour!
The silver style frame is unmarked. - The cameo itself is so magnificent!
I suppose the clasp was originaly a simple Victorian open "C" but changed into a later dated safety clasp. The pin shaft is also silver.
After the comment of so many this cameo worked out as a fake !
The cameo is in pristine condition. Due to the way it is carved, it is more delicate than a flat cameo. For me she is undeniably gorgeous, and fabulous!
Is their some fellow collector who has an idea what kind of goddess this might be? And and you might have an idea of the date on which this cameo created could be?? Please let me know you idea!
WOW WOW and another WOW!!! It's just sooooo BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!
Thanks Kathycat, I fully agree because of the detailed carving, thanks for your compliment and loving!
vetraio50 thanks for loving!
Wow it's stunning! But Bacchus or Dionysos is a male god, so I don't think it's him.
Maybe Ceres, also known as Demeter?
LISSA-D and Manikin thanks for loving.
Magnificent and sublime! Ah.
Agram.m, I can't see the items that she has adorned her tresses with - are they elongnated grapes, or rather blossoms? Demeter is the goddess of the harvest, and she usually associated with grains. I don't know if there's enough iconographic content in this cameo for it to represent a goddess....She's surely as beautiful as Venus/Aphrodite, too! Here's a quick list of goddesses:
http://www.goddess-guide.com/greek-goddess-list.html
Agram.m, this is so beautiful that if you went forward with your idea of renting out your jewelry to aspirant beauties, they'd all be fighting to wear this one, and you'd get a headache. : D Me first!
Hello miKKoChristmas11, first thanks again for your comment. And yes in her hair are defenitely grapes. So I stay with my idea of a bacchante! And you will be the first to rent but be aware she is heavy, 30 grams. So you will get pain elsewhere!
I'll think I am happy to find this heavy young lady! And as you know the price you don't need to take an asperin.
Antiquefreaque thanks for loving also this item!
Hems303 and antiquesareamazing thanks for loving!
Hi, ROBinHawaii! Suppose for a moment that this is an authentic cameo that has been carved from lava. Could what appears to be the result of bubbles actually be inherent in the 'stone' material? Could it be the case that the artist carved a good deal of the piece and only then discovered the faults? And when the faults were observed, the artist decided to complete the beautiful piece despite these faults? You have keen observational powers, and you are an excellent detective. On my little laptop I can't see what you have seen. However, I greatly value your opinions. Thanks.
Thanks much, ROBinHawaii!
Never seen one carved like that. Beautiful!
Thanks ROBinHawaii and miKKoChristmass, despite the things you noticed I still find it a beautiful volcano cameo!
Hi, Agram.m! I, too, still find it a quite magnificent volcano cameo! And I hope I'm still first in line to rent it for my grand entrance at the next Academy Awards (Oscar) ceremony (humor!). : )
Hi miKKoChristmas11, We agree and of course you get this 'brooch' at the first in line. I don't understand the way of manufacturing of vulcano pieces. Can you explain what is ment by ROBinHawaii?
Hi, Agram.m, thank you very much! I'll try and explain what ROBinHawaii said.
ROBinHawaii has a keen eye for detecting when something has been cast in a mold vs. carved from a solid. I have seen him recently identify something that had been described as 'carved ivory' as a molded product meant to look like ivory. ROBinHawaii examined your brooch very carefully; he has a better image of it than I do on my laptop. Now, when I first saw your beautiful brooch, I did observe what looked like losses on the necklace. I attributed them either to a fault in the lava, or to wear damage. However, ROBinHawii indicated that his examination of the brooch revealed signs that the brooch has been molded from a soft material, not carved. His evidence is that the losses in the necklace look to him just like the losses that result from a failure to apply a vacuum during the molding process. Just like damage resulting from bubbles. The vacuum would draw out any bubbles from the material before it hardened in the mold. ROBinHawaii said that the losses in your necklace looked like the same air bubbles that result in problematic areas when a vacuum has not been used. He said that if the bubbles had been in the block of lava from which the brooch was purportedly carved, the bubbles would occur randomly, not in just the areas that he knows are problematic in mold manufacturing. He indicated that he observed other faults that supported his hypothesis that this had been molded, not carved. Those faults are raised blobs (particles) of material that appear where they shouldn't appear if this had been carved not molded....Hope that helps.
She is a looker! Do you wear her out? She would look great if you put her on a velvet ribbon and wore her as a choker.
a choker ,very sexy amber and i glad u have this agram m
miKKoChristmas11, thanks for the comprehensive and clear explanation. You had a lot of work, I appreciate !
Amber what a good suggestion and indeed this would be nice. But I don't know if I can let make a bail on the brooch without damager. I will inform.
Thanks for loving lundy!
ROBinHawaii, When I saw this brooch for the first time I thought it was a wonderful piece of cameo. Now I already know, too good to be true. I am so taken with the nose, and worst still, I think that this is a form of scam, because it cost me too much. The name "vintage" like this brooch is purchased on the English eBay site is thus a misleading term and this should be stated. I will mention this the seller and if necessary eBay. In any case thank you for this good lesson for me and also for other collectors.
Thanks to all those who contributed to this educative post.
vetraio50,I fully agree!
Go get 'em Agram!
What kind, friendly people I met here!!
Agram, I'm so sorry about your disappointing eBay experience. I hope that you get some satisfaction from the Seller or eBay. (This is so beautiful that perhaps they were deceived, too?)
Agram, it was your excellent taste and knowledge of antique jewelry that brought this beautiful brooch into our lives. It is very beautiful indeed, and something most of us would never have seen if we hadn't encountered it on your CW Show and Tell. I for one would still be standing first in line to borrow it if I were headed for the Academy Awards "Best Actress" awards ceremony. It is most beautiful. Agram, thank you for your wonderful postings - all of them. You've brought so much beauty and knowledge to this site, and helped many people learn about antique jewelry. You were one of the first people I saved to my "follow" list.
As for ROBinHawaii, he is a marvel. His observations are very keen, and then he has graphics enhancement skills and knowledge that produce startling results. He knows a great deal about molding, and has a remarkable knowledge of technical skill sets. He even knows how to ameliorate environmental damage to antique garden furniture. I consider him one of CW's greatest assets. He's also very nice. I tip my hat to Agram and to ROBinHawaii! Bravo to you both.
ROBinHawaii, do you think that the Seller himself could have been deceived by the 'losses' in the cameo's necklace - could he/she have mistakenly attributed it to a fault in lava? Since you just found that other brooch on eBay, I think that you are most probably correct about its real 'vintage' - contemporary. People do find caches of "new old stock", but this is a bit too much of a coincidence. ROBinHawaii, I don't mean to challenge you here - I think you are correct in your judgment - but can you please comment on whether or not one might find a gutta percha cameo, or other vintage molded cameo, with such anomalies that made you suspicious of Agram's brooch? Thanks a lot!
Agram, I just found the following page that I think might interest you. Not detective work!, but rather a page of photos of beautiful cameos. I just had to share it with you.
http://pinterest.com/barbsmith/jewelry-cameos-and-coral/?page=11
After I read the comment of ROBinHawaii I became very suspicious as regards this brooch. So I'm starting research. Also the above given sites and have indeed found a variety of beautiful cameos. Meanwhile I have had contact with the seller in my own country. This case presented and immediately asked whether she didn't know these facts when she resold the brooch.
I got an angry mail response in which she told me never to do business with me. This was for me the confirmation that she knew in advance of the misinformation (cheat). In a response from me on this mail she told me to send back the brooch. But you guys understand that I never want to do more business with this seller. Incidentally this saleswoman is to be found in The Netherlands. Of course this kind of businessmen to find anywhere in the world, unfortunately!
Have received from you a large number of very good, dear and usable answers and tips received for which I say again thank you all. And we continue with our joint passion "collecting antique jewelry. Have a good weekend you all!
ditto on all of the above comments -- and ditto also with you and a love for fine beautiful jewelry and items -- i think we perhaps both have what i call "crow mentality" -- if it winks - blinks - or sparkles -- i absolutely must fly away with it and place in the nest
epson233, thanks for loving and comment. And yes you are perfectly right ! But one remark in my case; it's not only the blinks but I try to collect jewels that I find beautiful and well preserved.
Maybe you also interested in the article that just of my hand has appeared on CW under the link: http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/treasures-of-the-incomparable-pforzheim-jewelry-museum/
passion4trunks thanks for loving and perhaps you are also interested in the
in the of my hand that just has appeared on CW under the link: http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/treasures-of-the-incomparable-pforzheim-jewelry-museum/
There are beautiful photos of historical antique jewels.
PhilDavidAlexanderMorris and toolate2 thanks for loving.
thanks for sharing the website -- book marked that one -- of course that snake really caught my eye -- love quality snake jewelry -- just like a crow -- but i don't eat my snakes -- great to have your wealth of knowledge on this site
if we miss contact before the holidays -- wishing you all the very best for this and the coming years in all of your endeavors
eposon233 thanks for your nice wishes for you the same and I'll hope we will have many "encounters" on this site and sharing our knowledge of jewelry parts. I also wish you all happy holidays and a healthy, happy new year!
stunning!!!
SEAN68 thanks for the compliment and loving
anytime Agram.m!!
SEAN 68 Well i want to let you know I appreciate!
Agram, just discover your cameo!
Before reading the entire post, I was suspicous on lava, and victorian...
The entire clasp is modern, and lava is rather grey or brownish, weight too seemed too heavy and the style of the face too seemed modern, so thought resin.
All of us got fooled at least one time ;-)
So a pity it is not real (for the price!) it is so beautiful!
Kyratango you'so right but lucke for me i found it out just in time. The seller took it back!
The seller took it back, excellent.
peasejean55' indeed you are right but she (the seller) could not refuse because i'm a good custumer. but all in all this has could down our relation a bit because she has knew the facts at the moment of selling. but thank you for your comment.
I think this has been a good thread, and very informative. I wouldn't have thought it would have been in her interest to have sold you a fake. You say your a good customer, could she have, may be not have known herself, just a thought.
Peasejean55 it's nice you say so, i suppose you are so right, wishing you a nice day!
Glad to know seller take it
Back!
Peasejean could be right for the seller not aware it is a fake, yourself didn't guess before advices and close observation.
And right too for This post beeing very informative and educational :-)
Kyratango, indeed i learned also a lot of it, we don't stop learning also from each other!!
nutsabotash6, you're too kind thanks for your great compliment and love. I'm glad you like many of my jewelery t00.
Finecameos you're right indeed, that' s why there is so much comment here on this item it's a fake ! Thanks for your comment.
finecameos, we can tell the same story both victims of cheating but we could both learn from it, that's the only positive on this story!
Dear Agram, wouldn't it be good to change your description and title? Or make an update as it is not what it seems!
It is educational too to see fakes :-)
Mystery solved, I think.
Kyratango i already forgot this history, it's years ago when i placed it. And i don't know how to do this on this sites. Please give me advise again.
Agram, for marking it as solved, you only have to tick the case just below "unsolved mystery" :-)
kyratango thanks again, never saw this. I'll have to think about a pair of glasses. Never noticed!
I was scrolling thru images and came to sudden stop when I spotted this beauty.
STUNNING!!!
Watchnut indeed a beauty but unfortenately false that means a fake victorian . It's a modern fake cameo. I didn' t see it when i got it and thought as you a beautiful cameo.
I recently lost an auction on a very, very similar cameo that looked like tortoise shell. Same mounting but with original c clasp, same high relief. I kept a picture.
SLocke607 than you’r lucky because it was probably false too. Thanks for your comment. Why not place a picture on your site to waren otters?
I got taken, too. Here is another fake one: https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/193263-large-mystery-cameo-parfum-lagutie?in=collection-2244
But I have to say, every time I wear it, I get plenty of compliments. I just smile and say politely thank you :)