Antique Cameo Pendant, Queen Conch, Left Facing Carved Shell Cameo, Heirloom Jewelry, Sterling Silver

Most cameo carvers were right-handed, which meant the great majority of portraits face right. A left-facing cameo like this one is the exception, and this portrait earns the distinction: a woman with upswept curls, her expression alert and forward-looking, carved in high relief from queen conch shell.

Queen conch coloration is soft and pale, barely pink against cream, and the contrast between figure and background is subtle, rather than dramatic. What carries the carving is the relief: the figure stands away from the shell surface with real depth, and the detail in the hair is fully worked through.

The setting is a dotted border, well-matched to the softness of the pastel hues. The pendant suspends from a plain round bail.

Hallmarked Blue Piranha, .925. Dimensions: 1 and 3/4 inches (4.5 cm) long from top of bail to bottom of pendant; 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) wide. Weight: 6.6 grams.

Each pendant is available without a chain, so you may use your own if you prefer. If you want to add a chain, I offer different lengths and styles. Every chain comes with a 2-inch extender, so you can vary the length. Please choose your chain from the options at checkout.

Your purchase arrives gift boxed, in a soft pouch with a story card.

Good for: someone drawn to old things with clean lines. For the history-minded friend who wears her interests. For anyone fascinated by the combination of fragility and permanence in antique shell work.

Questions? Please message me. I'm happy to help.

About cameos:

Cameos have been carved for thousands of years, falling in and out of fashion since ancient Greece, while the Victorian era gave them their biggest cultural high point.

Cameos are carved from shell but they can also be created from glass, hardstone (such as sardonyx), lava, vulcanite, and coral, as well as other materials. Hand-carving continues today, most famously in Italy, where the tradition is still very much alive. The cameos I work with came from an antique market, found loose and in varying condition. Some were chipped, but some were quietly extraordinary. Those are the ones I kept.

Queen conchs are found in the Caribbean, the Florida Keys, and Bermuda. They're currently listed as endangered and are protected in certain areas. They are currently still harvested and carved, though highly regulated - and in some places, prohibited entirely - due to their environmental status.