In Torre del Greco near Naples, Italy, the tradition of Cameo carving has lasted for hundreds of years.
Cameo, refers to the craft of using the natural layered colors of the material, by removing the upper layer color to reveal the lower layer background color, thereby forming a three-dimensional relief pattern. The most common pattern is the profile of a goddess in Greek mythology.
However, Shell and Hardstone have vastly different prices.
🐚 1. Shell Cameo: Gentle Entry
This is the most common Cameo on the market, mainly popular in the Victorian era.
- Material: Conch shell (Cassis madagascariensis, etc.).
- Color: The background is usually orange-pink or dark brown, and the relief part is white or creamy.
- Translucency Test: This is the simplest identification method. Hold the Shell Cameo against strong light, you will find it is translucent, and you can even see the natural curvature and growth lines of the shell.
- Price: Relatively affordable, the first choice for beginners.
💎 2. Hardstone Cameo: The Holy Grail of Collectors
Hardstone refers to agate (Agate/Onyx), carnelian and other semi-precious stones with higher hardness.
- Material: Naturally layered agate. High hardness (Mohs 7), extremely difficult to carve, requiring diamond powder tools.
- Color: The background is usually black, dark blue or reddish-brown, with very strong contrast and extremely sharp lines.
- Touch: Feels cold to the touch, like jade.
- Value: For the same size, the price of Hardstone is usually 5 to 10 times that of Shell. If you buy an agate cameo at the price of a shell cameo in a flea market, you have picked up a big leak (bargain)!
⚠️ 3. Beware of Plastic Imitations (Plastic/Resin)
After World War II, a large number of molded plastic Cameos appeared.
- Look at Details: Observe with a 10x magnifying glass. Authentic ones have fine chisel marks left by carving knives, and the lines are smooth and natural; imitations have smooth surfaces, rounded and rigid lines, and sometimes mold seams can be seen.
- Hot Needle Test: Touch the back in an inconspicuous place with a hot needle (use with caution!), plastic will melt and smell, shell and agate will not.
🎨 How to judge the quality of carving?
Not all Cameos are worth buying. Only good carving has a soul:
- Hair: See if the hair strands are distinct, and if the hairstyle is complex and exquisite (such as with flower decorations).
- Nose: See if the nose tip is straight. Many rough Cameos have flat noses.
- Perspective: See if the figure has a three-dimensional sense, and if the neck muscle lines are natural.
A good Cameo should be like a miniature oil painting, no matter how many times you look at it, you can find new details.
