Sterling Silver Antique Cameo Pendant, Woman's Profile Cameo, White and Pink, Carved Conch Shell Cameo, High Relief Cameo, Oval Shel

An unusually elongated cameo, featuring a lady with (unsurprisingly) a long, lean neck and an expression of interest. I believe she has a feathery headdress in her updo, which would point her toward the 1920s, and her simple dress might back that up. She's quite different than most cameos, and her background has subtle hints of pink from the queen conch shell. 

Carved from queen conch shell, which allows for much higher relief against the soft shell coloring. Framed by a delicate dotted border. 

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.

The pendant suspends from a handmade bail that will accommodate a variety of wearing options. 

Materials: sterling silver, shell. Hallmarks: Blue Piranha, .925

The pendant measures just under 1 and 1/4 inches or 3.2 cm, long (from top of bail to bottom of pendant), and 1/2 inch, or 1.3 cm, wide. Weight is 3.7 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 will arrive gift boxed, presented in a soft pouch with a story card.

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 and some were quietly extraordinary. Those are the ones I kept.