Art of Cameo

Throughout history fine cameos have been appreciated as miniature works of art, as well as for their intrinsic value as jewellery.  Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, Elizabeth I of England, Catherine the Great of Russia and Madame de Pompadour are but a few of the famous historical figures who were cameo connoisseurs and collectors.

Cameos are an ancient jewel and their origin has been lost in history.  However, it is believed that the arrival of multi-layered sardonyx from India and Arabia into Alexandria around the 2nd or 3rd century B.C. may have provided the inspiration for local craftsmen to create the first cameos.  For centuries craftsmen had been engraving into (called intaglio) gemstones; sardonyx with its multicoloured layers proved to be the perfect medium for producing a new form of jewellery - a cameo in relief (Miller 2002 p.9). 

19th century cameos were mainly carved from shells such as the bullmouth helmet or conch shell, or from hardstone materials such as sardonyx, onyx or agate.  Occasionally you may see antique cameos fashioned from gemstones such as ruby, sapphire, amethyst or citrine. Other materials commonly used include volcanic lava, coral, tortoiseshell, ivory or jet.

Imitation material such as glass has been used since the 19th century, and plastic since the 1930s.  Wedgwood has also produced blue and white jasper stoneware cameos with classical designs since the 18th century (Benjamin 2003 p.80).  Throughout history two main design themes have remained the same - classical mythology and portraits.  We have beautiful examples of both these themes in our cameo collection.

Key Cameo Reference Material

• Starting to Collect Antique Jewellery (2003) by John Benjamin
• Cameos Old and New (2002) by Anna M. Miller
• Nineteenth Century Cameos (2004) by Michele Rowan

 Caring for your Cameo

The condition of your cameo will greatly affect its aesthetic and monetary value.  We have outlined a few tips below to reduce the risk of damage such as cracking, chipping or wear to high relief areas:

• Because cameos are so fragile they need to be stored in individual protective boxes so there is no risk of them knocking against each other or against other jewellery.
• Shell, coral, ivory and tortoiseshell cameos are very vulnerable to changes in temperature and stress.  You can prolong the life of these cameos by storing them with a small open container of water to keep their environment moist.  This is particularly important if you live in a dry environment, in air conditioning or are storing cameos in a bank vault or safe.
• To clean your cameo - use a solution of luke warm water with a small amount of light detergent and gently brush with a very soft toothbrush.  Do not over clean, leave soaking in the detergent solution or use bleach to try to remove ingrained dirt.  After cleaning rinse the cameo in clean water and allow to dry naturally.
• Shell cameos - after cleaning and drying, use a cotton wool bud to gently rub a small amount of organic almond oil to the front and back of the shell.  There is no need to dip the bud into the oil, just run it around the rim of the oil container then apply a very light film to each side.
• We recommend that you clean and oil your shell cameos once a year to help maintain their lustre and prolong their life.