SALE Vintage 1960's 10K Gold Sultry Glamour Girl Shell Cameo Pendant Brooch

Jewelry : Vintage : Carved, Cameo : Shell : Carnelian : Full Face : Sleeping Beauty : Brooch : Pendant : 10k Yellow Gold

 

This is a gorgeous full face Italian shell cameo from the late 1950's to early 1960's, carved in the provocative, sultry iconic sex kitten pose of the day, which was definitively inspired by the likes of Italy's own Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida, France's Brigitte Bardot, Sweden's Anita Ekberg and America's long lost but not forgotten Marilyn Monroe, just to name a few.

Carved to perfection, the artist has captured eternally in shell a sensuous sleeping beauty in the most difficult full face frontal view. What's not to love as every detail is exquisite--her perfect facial features from her eyebrows to the tip of her chin, her eyes so softly closed, her tousled and sassy locks, the gentle slope of her swan like neck into her shoulders. So perfect are the details of this sultry beauty, that surely the artist was moved and inspired by a particular young woman. Famous personality or not, perhaps this carving was even a commissioned piece, but it is not signed as one would expect.

The carver took advantage of all the thick (over 1/2") white strata of the carnelian shell had to offer with just the slight touch of darker background beckoning around her tousled hair. Her face has just the right amount of hand polished sheen to give her skin that realistic dewy appearance of youth. There is not one flaw or failing in the carving, nor is there any wear, smoothing, cracks or chips to the cameo. This is especially astonishing since the carving features such a thick 3 dimensional carving that is highlighted with such a gossamer thin background. Gossamer backgrounds are what give cameo carvings a realistic glow but are difficult to achieve for any carver, even the masters.

The 10K yellow gold bezel setting is a perfect backdrop for this enchanting goddess. The entire setting measures 46mm tall (1 13/16"), not including the pendant bail, by 37mm (1 7/16"), and is accented with a 4mm surround bezel. The outer bezel is hand engraved in a star burst, notched pattern that captures the light from all angles, making it glow. The total weight is 10.2 grams.

The cameo setting features both a brooch pin and bail and is in perfect working order with no damage or repairs. There are no gold hallmarks but we have electronically tested at 10K. Very interestingly, upon close examination with a loupe, we find that the goldsmith placed a pink gold wire ledge at the cameo's edges to hold it snugly and securely in place.

Full face frontal carvings are miraculous. Even today, Italy's most prominent master carvers would "rather" not tackle the task, preferring the easier side or 3/4 profiles. It is very difficult to capture nature's symmetrical beauty without flaw. While we don't know if the carver was capturing a world famous beauty, aspiring starlet or simply one of Italy's many home grown beauties that decorate its streets every day, this young woman is absolutely gorgeous. She does bear a striking resemblance to the beautiful young Anita Ekberg, star of Fellini's 1960 "La Dolce Vita". Her famous Trevi Fountain scene wowed Italians and the world and she still resides in Italy today. Perhaps she reminds you of someone you know....or would like to know!

Worn as a brooch pin on a suit or dress or as a pendant, she is destined to capture the attention of all with oohs and aahs likened to "That's a cameo? I thought they were all side views of old ladies!" This is a true life goddess, not one conjured up from Roman or Greek mythology, but one that perhaps truly lived the sweet life, "la dolce vita".

She will be delivered in a lovely presentation box, perfect for gift giving and storage. In addition, we will include a copy of our cameo care instructions to keep her sultry good looks continuing into perpetuity.

Always free shipping in the USA with a no hassle return policy. We want our customers to love our pieces as much as we do. If for ANY reason you do not, we are happy to refund your purchase price and the return shipping. And none of those ridiculous restocking fees at Cameo Couture. NEVER will be. We pledge and guarantee every item we sell will be loved or totally refunded so you can try whatever appeals to you hassle free.

Item ID: C-1466

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Glamour Galore