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Judy Jay's Time Dances By |
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Phone: 210-690-8454 |
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--Last Updated: 02/15/2010 -- |
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Judy Jay's Time Dances By |
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Phone: 210-690-8454 |
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--Last Updated: 02/15/2010 -- |
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Cameos |
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Layaway Available for Purchases of $200.00 or More |
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| Item: | Description: | Price: |
CA074 |
YOUNG GOD OF WINE & GREEK THEATRE ( Victorian Cameo Jewelry Swivel Brooch ): We all know Dionysus as the hedonistic Greek god of the Vine, Wine and Fertility. In this impressive Victorian Swivel Cameo Brooch he is pictured as a sensual young god with long, flowing hair – wearing a vine-wreath crown. (c. 1870) He holds a thyrus, an ivy entwined staff topped with a pine cone, a fertility symbol. The carved animal pelt over his shoulder appears to be a lion. Often his followers wore masks and, from choragic literary contests known as “Dionysia”, tragedy and comedy evolved. Quite grand in scale, this hand carved shell cameo is bezel set in a swivel mount. The bold, gold plated link setting is engraved with a floral & leaf motif and has a wire twist edging. The swivel turns easily to reveal the original clear cover. The safety clasp closure is a replacement. A wonderful Antique Cameo steeped in meaning and memories of the Victorian era. Condition: Excellent. An old solder repair at bottom of the swivel, but not visible from the front. Some wear to the plating. Size: 2 3/4” high, 2 3/8” wide, 3/8” deep. Cameo is 1 3/4” high, 1 3/8” wide. |
$650.00 |
 CA095 |
THE MAGIC OF PEARLS & CURLS ( Vintage Jewelry Shell Cameo Ring ): This Vintage hand carved Cameo Ring has been in my collection for over 20 years. From the style of the setting, etc., I would place her as a piece made in the 1970’s. This pretty lady is probably Grecian, based on her head band and hair style. A captivating deeply carved portrait set at an unusual angle with her face turned slightly to the right. Her eyes are closed and her features are supremely fine. Bezel set in marked 14KT gold; she has loops of seed pearl beads surrounding the whole cameo, giving it a graceful and purely feminine appearance. The white of the pearls is the perfect touch to bring out the lovely white features of this cameo. The 14KT ring band has a lacy and delicate wire work construction that raises the mounting and the cameo above your finger. This ring is a U.S. ring size 6 1/4. Cameo rings are difficult to find and you won’t see this one again. What a perfect gift for a wife, mother or loved one. Such an ethereal and refined blend of elements. Condition: Excellent. Very light weight. Size: 1 3/8” high, 1 1/8” wide, 1/2” deep! Currently a U.S. ring size 6 1/4. (Ring size can be sized.) | SOLD! |
CA068 |
ORNATE AND ROMANTIC BACCHANTE ( Victorian Jewelry Shell Cameo Brooch ): By the second half of the 19th Century the Cameo had become an essential item of female adornment. This lovely Victorian shell cameo (c. 1850-1860) depicts a bacchante, a female follower of the god of wine and fertility, Bacchus. The Victorians were less concerned with mythological accuracy, instead requiring their cameos to follow the aesthetic of Romanticism. Bacchantes remained a favorite subject – but where they had been wild, abandoned followers of Bacchus – now they were softened to resemble docile young maidens with vine leaves and grapes threaded charmingly through their hair. This bacchante adds wheat stalks to her headdress and carries a thyrsus – a staff topped with a pine-cone, both fertility symbols. The 10KT gold ornate setting of this brooch is unusually attractive. The cameo carving is set in a deep bezel with scroll and leaf motifs curling up and over the mount, creating a lush and sumptuous look. The back of the cameo is signed “GL”. A safety catch replaces the earlier C-clasp. Condition: Excellent. Very light wear. Slight brown background fade to the right of forehead is natural. Size: 1 7/8” high, 1 1/2” wide. Setting and cameo together 1/2” deep. | $425.00 |
CA078 |
BATTLE READY HORSES: ( Victorian Jewelry Cameo Brooch ): Magnificent grandeur! This unforgettable hand carved Shell Cameo shows a mastery of carving skill. Ares (Mars), the predatory god of War, was ruggedly handsome and violent. He embodied not just the act, but the spirit of War. Ares is usually depicted wearing a helmet with a sword, shield or – in this case – a spear. Homer describes him as “always ready for strife, battle and the bloody grind of war”. Ares rode into battle with his horses – Flame & Terror – pulling his war chariot. The layers of shell color have been carved away, leaving the horse and chariot in extremely high relief. A stunning example of the magic of a cameo. It is my belief that this is a newly carved cameo, newly set in a 14KT wire twist bezel set mount. There is a C clasp closure. New or old, it is an outstanding and dramatic example of hand carved art. Condition: Excellent. A few tiny striations at edges – not visible to the naked eye. Size: 2” high, 2 1/4” wide, 5/8” deep. | $650.00 |
 CA084 |
ROSY-FINGERED DAWN ( Victorian Jewelry Cameo Brooch ): The romantic Victorians loved the subjects “Day” and “Night”, based on a pair of bas-reliefs sculpted by Bertel Thorvaldsen in Rome, 1815. This beautifully mounted Victorian hand carved shell cameo depicts the goddess of Dawn, Aurora, accompanied by the Genius of Light holding his torch aloft. (c. 1860-80) Aurora is seen scattering roses as she ushers in the day. Homer described her as “rosy-fingered”. This Antique Cameo is remarkable for its delicacy of execution and poetic feeling. The very ornate setting is made of yellow gilt gold and features leaf and scroll motifs. The C clasp and hinge are early replacements, but the pin stem seems to be the original extended Victorian style pin. A “heavenly” Cameo that reminds us that angels of many sorts greet us night and day. Condition: Excellent. Some signs of wear to the mount commensurate with age. No visible cracks or stress marks. I believe that this setting may have been a bracelet clasp at one time that was redesigned as a brooch. There appears to be a slot for a clasp on the right side of the setting. That would explain the depth of the setting. Size: 2 1/2” high, 2” wide, mounting on sides 1/2”deep. Best worn on a jacket or thick fabric because of the deep mount. | $650.00 |
CA069 |
GLITTER & GLAMOUR ( Vintage Art Deco Cameo Brooch ):
This “triplet” Art Deco Cameo Brooch is something you won’t see
very often. (c. 1920-35) The shell Cameos are set in black enamel and
surrounded with a geometric fire-work display of marcasites. The Art
Deco period arrived with a bang and the dainty pale Edwardian styles
shifted to bold and sexy. French and German jewelers excelled in
designing modern-looking pieces hand set with small, round, faceted
“stones” of iron pyrite, known as marcasites. Since their luster is
metallic, their brilliance comes from the light reflected off the
facets. Each cameo carving is different and the right and left profiles
are looking toward the central round domed cameo. Photos cannot capture
the glittering brilliance of this brooch. The glittering mood of the
20’s and 30’s marcasites is combined in this piece with a revival in
Victorian style cameos brought about by the enormous popularity of
period films and their glamorous stars. (Mae West, Greta Garbo, Betty
Davis, etc.) The back is marked “ |
$500.00 |
CA071 |
PSYCHE IN GOLD & DIAMONDS ( Vintage Jewelry Coral Cameo Brooch /
Pendant ):
I love the contrast of this carved angelskin coral cameo set against the
lattice and scrollwork of 18KT gold. (c. 1930-40) The cameo portrays
Psyche, the bride of Eros (Cupid). The butterfly wings in her hair are
an easy way to identify this mythological lady. Psyche in Greek means
both “soul” and “butterfly” – the soul was seen as a butterfly
which left the body after death. This miniature coral carving uses the
pale pink portion of the coral to accent the waves in her hair and the
butterfly wings. Her profile is delicately rendered and she is facing
left – a more unusual view. The marked 18KT setting has a concave
hammered rim with two curled edges, each set with five tiny diamonds. I
discussed this brooch with two cameo dealers and they felt it was a
1930-40’s piece, probably a custom made item, hallmarked with an
“L” in a circle. There is a safety clasp pin back and hinged pendant
bale. Versatile and elegant, this cameo is outstanding in its fine use
of textures and materials. Condition: Excellent. The tip of the bottom
wing may have an old chip, but it is not noticeable among the flurry of
gold & diamonds. Size: 1 7/8” high, 1 1/2” wide, 5/8” deep. |
$500.00 |
CA051 |
DIVINE MUSICAL HARMONY: ( Victorian Shell Cameo Brooch ): A charming and cozy domestic scene is the subject of this beautiful shell cameo brooch, with Aphrodite seated in the background playing a lyre and two winged cherubs accompanying her with flutes. An attentive dog provides an audience. Probably carved in the 1890's, the 14K gold frame features rows of beading alternating with ribbon twists on the wide lip and a twentieth century replacement safety clasp and pin hinge on the back. Rendered with remarkable detail and warmth, it is unusual to find a cameo with three full length figures and an animal together. Condition: Excellent, light wear with no visible cracks or striations. Size: 2" wide, 1 5/8" high. | $450.00 |
 CA090 |
REGAL MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS ( Victorian Jewelry Shell Cameo Portrait Brooch / Pin ): Portrait Cameos had long been commissioned by royalty and the aristocracy. In the late nineteenth century the newly-wealthy of Victorian society began collecting cameo representations of historical figures, such as Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Dante and contemporary notables including the Romantic poets and novelists. This superb Antique Cameo, hand carved of Black Helmet Shell, is a portrait of Mary Queen of Scots. An oval cameo, set in a 10KT gold mount, it depicts Mary in her elaborate attire. (c. 1870-80) She is wearing a delicately carved ruff and her distinctive cap headpiece. This lovely Elizabethan lady is adorned with gorgeous jewelry – note the wonderful earring and beaded necklaces. Mary is wearing a tiny heart pendant and a cross suspended from a chain, symbols of her faith. She was eventually beheaded in the reign of Elizabeth I. (Mary was born in 1542 and died in 1587.) The 10KT (jeweler tested) bezel set double mount has a clear compartment on the reverse side, containing a curl of reddish blonde hair tied with a pink ribbon on a turquoise fabric backing. The brooch has a C clasp closure and still retains its safety chain. Highly sought after by collectors, this regal and elegant Mary Queen of Scots Cameo Brooch is an unforgettable example of a master carver’s art. Make a space in your jewelry box because this Queen Cameo belongs there! Condition: Excellent. The pin stem may be an early replacement. There are a few tiny surface indentations on the hollow mount at 8:00, but they are barely visible. Size: Just over 2” high, 1 3/4” wide, 3/8” deep. | SOLD! |
 CA096 |
THE MARK OF THE CRESCENT MOON ( Edwardian Jewelry Shell Cameo Pin / Pendant ): Diana, Goddess of the Hunt, was a beautiful wild maiden, a virgin huntress. Here she is depicted in a 10KT Edwardian Shell Cameo of exquisite delicacy and refinement. (c. 1910) Appealing and feminine, Diana was the daughter of Zeus and the twin sister of Apollo, the Sun god. She was also the protector of children and wild animals. Her association with Selene, the Moon goddess, gave her the mark of the crescent moon. I love this pretty carving of Diana and you can wear it as a brooch or a pendant. Shown from the waist up, the detail work is perfect. Her face is extremely well formed; her hair style is complex and dimensional. She wears a tiny string of beads and the draperies of a chiton gown. The marked 10KT engraved mounting has a wire twist that encircles the entire bezel set mounting. The reverse of the mounting has a C clasp closure and swivel bale ring that folds down. It is also initialed by the maker on the bottom of the gold setting. A delicious soft caramel color, this beauty is a perfect addition to any Cameo collection. Condition: Excellent. A few light striations not visible to the naked eye. Size: 2 ¼” high, 1 ¾” wide, ¼” deep. | SOLD! |
 CA099 |
LAVISH
LAVA LADY ( Victorian Jewelry Lava Cameo Pin / Pendant ):
Victorians had a passion for travel and heading the list of tourist
sights were the newly uncovered ruins of Pompeii. Tourists, then as now,
were of a single mind when it came to taking home souvenirs to remind
them of their holiday and lava Cameos from Mount Vesuvius became the
mementos of choice. Lavish and intricate in its every detail, this
gorgeous hand carved gray Antique Lava Cameo depicts a Bacchante, one of
the female followers of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and fertility.
(c. 1840-60) Just look at the incredible depth of the relief and the
fine undercarving delineating the leaves and grapes twisted through her
hair. I like to think of her proper Victorian owner adorned by what is,
after all, an ancient party girl! Of particular interest in this
Bacchante Cameo is the richly carved animal pelt draped around her
shoulders. You can see the whole cat face including nose, eyes, ears,
fur and tiny teeth! Set high in a jeweler tested 14KT gold bezel rim
mount, the back has a reinforced C clasp and extended pin stem. There is
a pendant hook and drop down oval pendant bale making this a very
versatile pin or pendant. These portable lava cameo carvings were
frequently brought back from Italy unmounted and then set by the owner.
Notice the delicate feminine beauty of her face, her perfect nose and
her parted lips revealing dainty teeth. One perfect drop earring adorns
her right ear. Lava Cameos have dramatically increased in popularity as
buyers rediscover the history of lava carving and the perfection of the
classical look. This color gray looks well on so many colors and says to
viewers that your style is sophisticated and elite. Condition: Excellent. The top right leaf may have a tiny chip or it may have been carved that way. Of no significance in a lava piece as fine as this. Size: 2” high, 1 5/8” wide, 1/2” deep. |
SOLD! |
 IV053 |
FLORA
BRINGS SPRING ( Victorian Jewelry Ivory Cameo Pendant ):
This breathtaking Victorian hand carved Ivory Cameo of Flora is the
perfect way to welcome spring or any other season. (c. 1840-70) The
Roman goddess Flora, “mistress of the flowers” symbolizes new life,
spring, regeneration and hope. In this large Antique Ivory Cameo
portrait the lovely young nymph is adorned with a splendid floral hair
piece of roses, forget-me-nots and lilies of the valley. They swirl and
travel down to her shoulders. Notice the double strand of perfect ivory
beads. From about 1840 to 1870 high-relief work ivory cameos were very
fashionable and often brought home from France as gifts from prosperous
travelers. Both the grain and patina of the ivory are so lovely and
clearly seen in the beautiful photos. Large thick carvings like this
were purchased unset and later set in a box top. The holes on the back
were drilled so that the Cameo could be pegged into a setting or worn as
a brooch. This divine Victorian marvel of carving is facing to the left
– most Cameos face right. It requires a master carver to work to the
left since it is harder to execute. The setting for this Flora pendant
is a sterling silver three claw bezel mount with an oval bale to hold a
silver chain. Quality Ivory pieces have become scarce and will only
become more rare as collectors covet these Ivory Cameos. Look at the
beauty of her facial features and the depth of the carving. This is a
Cameo to treasure for a lifetime. Condition: Excellent. There are no chips to the flowers. The setting is from a later period. The chain is not included. Size: 2 1/8” high, 1 1/2” wide, 7/8” deep. |
SOLD! |
 CA091 |
TWO GODDESSES “DAY & NIGHT” ( Victorian Jewelry Shell Cameo Pendant ): The romantic Victorians loved the subjects, “Day” and “Night”. This exquisite hand carved shell Antique Shell Cameo pendant, circa 1870, presents the personification of the goddesses – “Day and Night” in combination. Each displays their respective attributes. On the left, Day (Eos/Aurora) is seen with flowers in her hair and the rays of sun radiating above her head as she welcomes in the day. On the right, Night (Nyx/Nox) wears the veil of night with poppies – the narcotic, sleep inducing plant, in her hair. Her eyes are closed. The stars and a crescent moon can be seen floating above both figures. Zeus, in the guise of an eagle, rests on the clouds - providing a serene scene of the gods in peaceful harmony. This Victorian Cameo Pendant is remarkable for its delicacy of execution and poetic feeling. The fact that this masterful Cameo is a pendant makes it all the more desirable to me. I love having Cameos that are worn close to the face. A seductive and alluring Cameo reminding us that angels of many sorts greet us night and day. A highly sought after Cameo subject, especially with Zeus appearing as an eagle, “Day and Night” will continue to fascinate and delight you. The mounting is jeweler tested Sterling Silver with a nice sized Sterling bale. The Cameo is bezel set and surrounded by a rope twist. Condition: Excellent. There may have been a thin vermeil gold wash at one time, as there appears to be the slightest hint of gold in the Sterling Silver setting. Size: Cameo is 2 1/8” long, 1 5/8” wide, with bale 2 1/2” long. | SOLD! |
 CA088 |
FEATHERED WINGS OF HOPE ( Victorian Jewelry Angel Cameo Pin / Brooch ): This “heavenly” Antique Cameo Brooch should please angel lovers. In this hand carved Victorian Shell Cameo an angel rises above the clouds, hands crossed over her heart. (c. 1860-80) A large anchor – the symbol of Hope – dominates the scene. Victorians loved all of the heavenly symbols of Christianity. Angels were a special favorite. This feathered heavenly being gazes outward and seems to promise hope for a lost loved one or hope that the mortal beloved has passed into heaven. This could well be a Mourning Cameo. Its soft background is especially serene and the subject is delicately rendered. Notice the finely carved wings and the dominance of the anchor. I am reminded of Emily Dickinson’s poem “Hope is a thing with feathers, that perches in the soul”. The tested gold plate over Sterling Silver frame is embellished with delicate engraving. The original C clasp and elongated pin stem are still in place. This ethereal Cameo Angel with her gossamer wings is a timeless beauty to be treasured for generations. Condition: Excellent. No stress marks. Size: 2 1/8” high, 1 3/4” wide, 1/4” deep. | SOLD! |
CA060 |
THE VEIL OF NIGHT ( Victorian Shell Cameo Brooch ):
I am delighted to offer you this exquisite Cameo Brooch of the goddess
of Night. (c. 1860-70) Beautifully carved, feminine and delicate, this
is a theme coveted by Cameo Collectors. Nyx, goddess of Night, was a
feared goddess and mother of many powerful forces, including Sleep and
Death. Nyx is veiled as the night, eyes closed in slumber and crowned
with a wreath of sleep-inducing opium poppies. Nocturnal symbols, the
moon and stars float above her head and her owl companion holds branches
of poppies in his talons. The veil is especially stunning in its
execution. Veil carving was often used as a test of a master carver’s
work. The Cameo is bezel set with a ribbon twist surround. Over that are
decorative foliate motifs at the four compass points. The setting
appears to be gilt over silver. The bottom of the frame has 2 extended
wire twist embellishments. I believe that the top of this setting may
also have had those same twists, but personally I like the look of the
asymmetrical setting. It puts so much focus on the face of Night. On the
back is a replacement safety clasp and pin hinge. This Cameo is so much
more beautiful than the one on Page 35 of Michelle Rowan’s book –
“Nineteenth Century Cameos”. A real treasure to add to any
collection of fine Victorian jewelry. Condition: Cameo is excellent! A
few light natural striations above her head. These are created as the
shell becomes dry with age. They are not visible with the naked eye. The
setting has evidence of old solder repairs on the back. You will not see
a better carving offered at this price! Size: 2 1/2” high, 1 3/4”
wide, 1/4” deep. |
SOLD! |
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