Description
Very old pendant made between 1850 and 1900 showing a Roman/Greek woman painting. The woman is made from ivory (I think) and the background is an orange wax that glows and is transparent in the sunlight.
Category
Jewelry and Gemstones
Medium
Bronze and orange with ivory (maybe) as the woman
Distinguishing marks
One-of-a-kind with artist unknown. Possibly made by my Grandmother or Great Grandmother.
Condition
Excellent
Size and dimensions of this item
2" x 1" x 0.5"
Date Period
1850-1900
Weight
1 lb
History
Passed down from my Grandmother to my mother to me. Possibly made around 1850 maybe earlier
Price
200.00
Price Paid (If known)
Passed down
For Sale?
Yes
Photos
Cameo brooch
What you have is a cameo brooch most likely carved from Cornealian shell. Jewelry is impossible to appraise on the Internet. It's best to take it to a jeweler to have the metal tested and the cameo identified (shell? stone? glass?). I'm thinking your brooch as made later because of the clasp. It has a Modern Safety Catch which became popular starting in the 1920s. The cameo could be older though.
Here is some more information on cameos:
https://www.antiquetrader.com/collectibles/faces-give-clues-to-cameos-a…
It may be a pendant, too but since I can't see the bale from the photo so I'm calling it a brooch. It was common to make "pendent brooches" and still is! Very versatile!