Fine Antique Cameo Made of Hardstone in a Floral Gold Setting with

Today, just as in the past, not only jewelry designs but also materials are subject to changing fashion trends. Cameos, for example, enjoyed great popularity well into the 1870s, but were subsequently dismissed as old-fashioned by an entire generation. It wasn’t until around 1910 that they were appreciated again, when granddaughters discovered their grandmothers’ treasures and brought them back into fashion. In 1909, a fashion column reported: “You are pretty safe for all jewelry purposes in searching out grandmother’s jewels. […] Cameos of all kinds are in vogue.” This brooch also dates from this period—and not before—as its setting shows. A delicate, finely modeled garland of roses alternates with small natural pearls—a motif we find time and again, particularly in early 20th-century French designs, including in necklaces and bracelets. The cameo itself, however, may or may not have been created at the same time—it may well have been crafted as early as the 19th century and simply set anew. Similar, high-quality cut cameos made of layered agate were already being produced around 1870. A figure in an antique-style profile is depicted with fine detail. Aside from a wreath of flowers, she bears no particular attributes—she may be Flora, the goddess of youth and beauty. The brooch is not only decorative but also a fascinating piece that tells a story of preservation and rediscovery—and of how fashions come and go, while style and quality endure. The quote is from [Anon:] “Unique Jewelry Fancies,” The St. Joseph Morning Gazette, March 28, 1909, p. 5.

Estimate:£1,681.87

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