Antique Cameo of Clio Set in Gold as a Brooch, c. 1880

Musically Gifted

Antique Cameo of Clio Set in Gold as a Brooch, c. 1880

€ 980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

This beautiful cameo from the late 19th century depicts a figure from classical Greek mythology: we see the youthful muse Clio with her distinguishing mark, the laurel wreath in her elaborately pinned-up hair. Clio (ancient Greek Κλειώ Kleiō 'the glorious one') is the muse of heroic poetry and historiography. She is one of the nine artistic daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne who once populated the heaven of the gods in ancient Greece. She sings the songs and verses about the heroes and thus places the laurel wreath on their heads - which is why it has become her attribute. The figure in her antique garb is cut in profile from the two-tone shell of a sea snail and is wonderfully detailed. The goddess's elaborate hairstyle with fine plaits and delicate curls is particularly artistic. A simple setting with a surrounding gold cord frames the depiction and makes it wearable as a brooch. The materials, workmanship and motifs make this piece from around 1880 a typical piece of gemstone jewelry from the Historicism period and transport us into the world of classical mythology. The brooch, which came to us from London, has been beautifully preserved to this day.

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The 19th century was infatuated with gem jewelry. In contrast to earlier eras, when cameos were kept in locked cabinets and only delighted the collector, they were now intended to be worn and admired by all as transportable works of art. Gems with mythological motifs were particularly prized and were made from shells and coral, especially in the Bay of Naples. This cameo, however, is made of two-tone layered agate. Unlike cameos in mussel shells, these stone carvings are extremely difficult to produce and require great craftsmanship due to the hard material. Idar-Oberstein specialized in this type of work at the end of the 19th century and produced a large number of beautiful cameos and cameos that were exported worldwide.

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Size & Details

Musically Gifted

€ 980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

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Musically Gifted

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