CAMEO ---- A stone or shell cut in relief using the object itself to produce shadings of the carving from the Hebrew word KAMEA----a charm or amulet or Latin CAMMAEUS "engraved gem". These are said to be the root origin of the word CAMEO, but even among experts even this is disputed. Let's look at the two different methods of carvings of a cameo:
1. Relief---carved from the front with only the front profile showing or one side as opposed to a sculpture that can be seen from all sides.
2. Intaglio----carved from the rear of the profile or picture.
Over 25 different sea shells are used plus a large array of coral. Most shells originate in the Bahamas, the West Indies, and Madagascar. Two Different Carving Centers and Two Entirely Different Methods. The shell and coral carving center of Torre Del Greco uses a method thousands of years old.
The other great carving center of the world is Idar-Oberstein, Germany. This is a city that is just as famous for their gemstone and agate carvings as Torre Del Greco is for their shell carvings.
Shells have been used for almost a 1000 years in the cameo business. The tradition began in the fifteenth or sixteenth century and was popularized by Queen Victoria of England. [1837-1901]. (Catherine the Great of Russia also had a large collection). Cameos carved from shell are still the most popular type of cameo sold today. Conch shells provide the carving material for the cameo cutters of Torre del Greco, Italy, the main manufacturing city for shell cameos. The shells from which these cameos are produced are found in the Torresi waters, the Bahamas, in the Caribbean, Central America and in the waters off East Africa, (particularly in Madagascar).
The carving process for the shell cameo begins in the seas where the shell divers select specimens of the conch shell to be carved. For shell cameos, handcrafters use the outer coating of the shell (cup) and the inner lip, or the part of the shell that leads to the inside of the shell. The shell is cut out to form oval forms, later to be smoothed off by the grinding wheel to obtain a perfect oval, then sculpted to remove the whitish shell and reveal the background which creates the color contrast.
The most important steps in the cutting process are: first layer removal, marking, profile molding, sanding, and placement determination [designing, sketching], engraving, finishing, polishing with oil and oil removal.
So we see that everything about a cameo is unique from its very start. No two authentic cameos are alike in any way, just like the people who wear them! No matter what profile or scene you choose, it is sure to be an "INVESTMENT" that will be cherished.
Just when the first cameo was carved is unknown and shrouded in mystery, but we do believe it was in Greece or Rome. Cameos were quite popular in both areas and were carved from stone such as AGATE. Shell was not used until a much later date. Because of their availability and the ease in which they could be carved, shells became extremely popular and eventually the art of cameo carving settled in a small town, Torre Del Greco, at the base of Mt. Vesuvius, located on the Bay of Naples. The tiny town of Torre Del Greco, Italy, today, is still the center of Cameo carving.
As far back as 15,000 BC, both men and women have been carving petroglyphs - figures carved into rock -to record significant events, form good luck charms, seal documents in place of a signature and communicate information via the carving. People have also used cameos to make a statement about their faith or loyalties. The first documented cameo was carved around 332 BC. The ancients discovered that many gemstones and shells were made of different colored layers. This allowed handcrafter to create a striking contrast between the raised (relief) layer and the flat (background) layer.
The most valuable cameos are those with the greatest color contrast. As every cameo is a handmade work of art, colors will vary. No two are alike! The carnelian shell is the shell most frequently used for cameo carving. Most carnelian shells originate in West Africa. Cameos carved from carnelian shell may be reddish-brown, peach or orange.
Some cameos are even carved in mother-of-pearl, producing a cameo of a muted pale blue color. The most popular motif for a cameo carved from shell is the face of a woman. So, when you see a woman's face on a cameo, you may deduce that it is made of shell.
The most costly cameos are those which are carved from the sardonyx shell. The sardonyx shell has a thick outer wall and a dark brown interior. When it is carved it often resembles marble, hence the higher price of its cameos. Just like the shells that they originate from, cameos carved in sardonyx shells have a dark brown background and white foreground.
However, in recent years, China has been able to manufacture fake cameos made of plastic which have the feel of shell. In addition, some modern-day impostors are carved from resin! How can you tell the difference? First, have all of your cameos evaluated by a trained jeweler. Second, note the color of the cameo. Most plastic cameos have a different coloration than shell. Third, perform the "hot needle test". If it melts, it's plastic!
