Cameos and portrait miniatures

[glitterata]

While I'm waiting for a colleague to finish up some work so we can start our weekends, I thought I'd post some of my collection of cameos and portrait miniatures.

 

[glitterata]

This one''s a shell cameo from the mid-to-late 19th century. She''s a maenad, a nymph who runs with Bacchus, the god of wine. You can tell by the grapes and grape leaves in her hair.

 

[glitterata]

A shell cameo of flowers. Probably late 19th or early 20th century.

 

[Ara Ann]

Oh wow! Love these, especially the miniature portraits! The gentleman at the top/center is very endearing! He looks somewhat mischievous, yet charming! Approximately how old are they?

Thank you for posting! I LOVE antique pieces!

 

[glitterata]

My avatar, a mid-19th century shell cameo of a maenad. She''s set in a really nice Etruscan Revival frame, probably 18K gold. I found her at a Goodwill shop.

 

[glitterata]

Thank you, Ara Ann! Don''t worry I''ll be posting close-ups and explanations of all of them. I hope I don''t bore everybody to tears with them all.

This one has a special meaning for me. It''s my very first cameo. My beloved Grandma gave it to me when I was a little girl; it was hers. It''s a shell cameo from the mid-20th century, set in a silver frame with marcasites.

 

[glitterata]

Another mid-to-late 19th century shell cameo. Not sure who she is, maybe some sort of nymph. Pretty worn, with one terrible replacement pearl, but I think she's sweet. An ebay find.

 

[glitterata]

This is my latest cameo find. It''s now a pendant, but I''m pretty sure it was once an earring because the ladies are facing left and this was a typical form for earrings at the period. Left-facing cameos are rare--most face right--but a pair of earrings would have one earring facing left and the other facing right. I think this piece is probably from the 1840s-50s.

 

[glitterata]

Top cameo from the earring/pendant. Her hairstyle and dress make me think she''s from the 1840s-50s. This lady seems to be carrying a basket and a net or fishing rod.

 

[glitterata]

Lower half of the earring/pendant.

 

[glitterata]

Little shell cameo from the mid-to-late 19th century. I''ve seen these cameos referred to as "Rebecca at the well," but I''m not sure whether this really is one.

 

[D&T]

Beautiful Pieces Glitt- great history behind them!

 

[glitterata]

I love this one. It''s a tiny shell cameo of a dog. A portrait of someone''s beloved pet? A symbol of fidelity?

 

[glitterata]

Thank you, D&T!

Okay, now the portraits. This lady is from the 1830s (judging by her hair and clothes). She looks European to me, maybe French or Spanish? That's just a guess. I bought her with the similarly elongated gentleman, who I assume is a relative. They are both painted on card or ivory and set in brass frames under glass.

 

[glitterata]

Her male companion.

 

[glitterata]

This girl is a little mysterious to me. She''s painted on porcelain, set in a low-karat gold frame typical of the mid-19th century. She''s wearing a plaid shawl, which fits the period too--there was a fad for everything Scottish after Queen Victoria bought Balmoral. This girl came to me from England via eBay. But I can''t figure out whether she''s a portrait of an individual or perhaps a copy of a larger painting I''m not familiar with. The back of the piece is set with woven hair under glass, dark brown like the girl''s hair, which makes me lean toward portrait. A mourning piece for a mother who lost her little daughter? Or just a token of love?

 

[Ara Ann]

(sorry to interrupt again!) Oh, they are a handsome pair (the matching man/woman set)! I'd refer to them as Elizabeth and Darcy...but then I'm a dork.

Enjoying all of your pieces!

 

[glitterata]

My husband calls this one "THAT guy." He's from the 1830s, probably American, painted on porcelain, set in brass, and deliciously, hilariously ugly, I think. (The miniature, I mean, not my husband.) Too bad about the scratches, but they're not as noticeable in real life. I like the chain or necklace he's wearing--a watch chain, maybe? A monocle on a ribbon? And I wish I could see his stud or button. I love the way he looks like he's about to burst out laughing.

 

[glitterata]

Thank you again, Ara Ann! Yes, they are a romantic couple, aren''t they? I agree he looks Darcyesque, but I think she''s a bit too dour and supercilious for Elizabeth--more like how I imagine Miss Bingley.

Okay, here''s Ara Ann''s favorite and mine too. Doesn''t he look like he would be fun to know? Such a sweet, sparkly, funny, sincere face. He''s English, from the 1830s-50s, painted on card or ivory and set under glass. Unfortunately his low-karat gold frame has been damaged and partially lost, so I can''t wear it. Or maybe it''s fortunate, since it meant I could afford to buy him. I''ve been waffling for years about whether I should have the missing parts made (v. expensive), have the other parts removed leaving a plain oval frame, or just keep him as is and visit him occasionally in his box. Which is what I''ve done so far.

 

[glitterata]

Oops, I forgot these last tiny cameos. The one on the far left is the agate cameo stickpin that came with my chrysoberyl cat's eye. It's from the 1880s, maybe. So are the agate collar studs on the card. There was a fad for Elizabethan-style ladies' dresses which these cameos reflect. The tiny shell earrings are a hundred years later--my dad got them for me in Florence in the 1980s. Or the 1990s? (See, I'm not always sure which decade even when I was alive at the time!) They're like many of the other shell cameos here in that they were brought back from Italy as a souvenir.

And the larger round copper disk is a commemorative portrait of President Lincoln...kidding! Penny included to show scale.

 

[oddoneout]

I''ve said it before and I''ll say it again...you have the most amazing collection. You could open your own museum with all your pieces.

 

[glitterata]

Thank you, Odd One!

I would love to have a dollhouse-size museum with my portrait miniatures and brooches hanging on the gallery walls. And the earrings could go in the sculpture gallery.

 

[D&T]

Date: 11/6/2009 4:54:45 PM
Author: Ara Ann
(sorry to interrupt again!) Oh, they are a handsome pair (the matching man/woman set)! I''d refer to them as Elizabeth and Darcy...but then I''m a dork.

Enjoying all of your pieces!

I totally can see that ... and my all time favorite book and movie!

 

[Indylady]

Glitterata, your pieces are amazing. If you ever start a jewel-gallery, please let us know! I am sure there are many of us that would be lining up at your door to see your pieces in person!

 

[packrat]

Date: 11/6/2009 6:08:02 PM
Author: glitterata
Thank you, Odd One!


I would love to have a dollhouse-size museum with my portrait miniatures and brooches hanging on the gallery walls. And the earrings could go in the sculpture gallery.

Beautiful pieces Glitterata-they''re so interesting!

When my gramma was living in Arizona, I flew down to visit her and we went to the Museum to see a Monet exhibit (WOW was that something to see!) and there was a room that had little rooms, glassed off, in the walls, all the way around the room. Each room was like a little diorama from different periods in history-I tell you what, it was SO neat! What you said about a dollhouse size museum made me think of that, and I could totally see your pieces hanging on the walls in those little rooms!

 

[chrono]

Beautiful cameos and minatures. The lady looks to stuffy for Elizabeth. Yes, Miss Bingley and Mr Darcy are a more apt names for the cameos.

 

[glitterata]

Thank you for the kind words, jewelry friends!

That room in the Arizona museum sounds like my idea of heaven.

 

[jewelerman]

IM IN LOVE

Glitterata,lets run away together!Our jewelry collections would be so very happy together!You have a mini museam on those pages!

 

[mochi]

Glitterata, I love your collection and your description/story with the pieces. Thank you so much for posting these!!

 

[glitterata]

Mochi, thank you!

Jewelerman, come on over and bring your jewelry. I know mine will love yours!