Antique Vintage Art Deco Sterling 925 Silver Conch Shell Carved Cameo Earrings

Description

We have similar Art Deco items, which would pair nicely with this piece, for sale this week. To view in separate listings, please visit our store and search “Deco” under our Buy-It-Now items.
The Piece
Age Circa
:
Art Deco C. 1920 - 1940
Markings
: Unmarked, Tested, and Guaranteed
Country of Origin
: Unknown
Brand
: Unknown
Gram Weight
: 6.3 Grams
Metal Type
: .925 Sterling Silver
Material
: --
Main Stone
: Conch Shell
Main Stone Measurements/Color
: 13.8 mm long and 9.3 mm wide; Translucent Brown/Orange (lower shell) and Beige Cameo (outer shell)
Accent Stone
: --
Accent Stone Measurements/Color
: --
Stone Treatment:
The stone(s) appear to be untreated, but we are not certified gemologists. Stone(s) have been tested and guaranteed using a professional Presidium Duo refractive, heat, and hardness tester.
Stone Cuts
: Carved Cabochon
Item Measurements
: The earrings measure 0.72" long and 0.54" wide.
Earring Style
: Cluster
Earring Backing Style
: Clip On. Your jeweler can easily convert these to the preferred backing style you desire.
For Pierced or Non-Pierced Ears
: Both
Notable Features
: These earrings were handmade during the Art Deco era. These beautiful earrings feature a stunning, hand-carved conch shell cameo. The cameo features the profile of a woman, and is carved in high relief. The artist utilized both the inner and outer material of the conch shell when crafting these earrings. The cameo comprises the outer shell of the conch, and is a lovely, soft pearlescent beige in color. The inner shell material is the background of the cameo, and displays a semi translucent brown/orange color. The earrings have an intricate swirling filigree design around the bezel border. The cameo is framed by a hand-crimped sterling silver setting.
The earrings are finished off with clip on backings, which are perfect for pierced and non-pierced ears.
Don't miss your opportunity to own this incredible piece of history.
Damage
: Age appropriate wear. There is quite a bit of tarnish on these earrings, and some bent places around the bezel setting. The price has been reduced to reflect this.
The History
The Art Deco era is famous for being the "Gatsby" or "Roaring Twenties" era. A lot of gorgeous and timeless designs in jewelry came out of this period. Jewelry from this period was most often crafted between 1920 and 1940. Art Deco jewelry sometimes featured white gold or platinum, geometric designs, European cut diamonds, filigree, and calibre cut stones that are specifically cut to fit the design of the piece. During the Art Deco period jewelers often made jewelry upon custom order, this would often take weeks to months to completely craft by hand.
Filigree metalworking is a delicate form of art and has been found as early as 3,000 BC in Mesopotamia. It was perfected by the Phoenicians and Etruscan civilizations between the 6
th
and 3
rd
centuries BC. It involves stamping out a design in metal and hand bending and twirling threads, combined with tiny beads, until a final motif emerges. It is reminiscent of lace and considered one of the most difficult metalworking processes. Filigree is still a very popular technique in India and Asia.
A cameo is an image that has been carved in raised relief by cutting away the background of different materials to create a contrast in height and color. The earliest examples of cameos date back to the 3rd century BC. In antiquity, this was achieved by carving into a single piece of banded agate to reveal the layers of colors, but now it is much more common that cameos are made of two different materials. The most common form of fine jewelry cameo is created by layering a carved white shell on top of a stone of contrasting color with a flat plane. Cameos usually depict a beautiful or famous person in profile, or a mythological figure. The Romans were true artisans when it came to creating these pieces, so there are many Roman cultural influences found in cameos, even to this day. These are true miniature art works.
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Gold: .00 + .00 per additional gold item & silver items combine for free
Silver: .00 + .00 per additional gold item & silver items combine for free
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