Cameos, those tiny beautiful works of art, can be made of many different substances - shell, agate,coral, mother of pearl, turquoise, resin, ivory, lava, jet, glass, painted porcelain, etc.  The most popular are the shell and blue/black agate cameos.

The tradition of carving cameos began in the 15th to 16th century, with cameos being carved from shell.  They were popularized by Queen Victoria of England.  The birthplace of the cameo was probably Alexandria, Egypt circa 300 BC.

Cameos can be carved in relief or intaglio.  RELIEF is probably the best known.  The surrounding material is cut away from the sculpture being carved, allowing the image to stand above the surface.  INTAGLIO is when the image is carved into the material so that it is below surface level.

SHELL CAMEOS:  Still handcarved as shell does not lend itself to machine techniques.  The mot common shells used are the Bullmouth Helmut or Carnelian Shell, the Emperor Helmut  or Sardonyx Shell, the Pink Conch and Angelskin Coral.  The village of Torre Del Greco, Italy - at the foot of Mt Vesuvius - is famous for shell cameos.

AGATE CAMEOS:  Some agate cameos are still carved by hand, but most are carved ultrasonically and finished by hand.  Ider Oberstain, Germany is probably the most well know spot for agate cameos although most of the agate material comes from Brazil.

POURED CAMEOS:  Molded or poured "agate" cameos come primarily from Asia.  They are made from 95% agate powder mised with 5% of a bonding agent and poured into a mold - the white layer first and then, after curing, the colored layer.

RESIN CAMEOS:  Imitate shell and agate cameos.  They can be tested with a hot pin touched to the back of the cameo.  If it melts a tadge, it is resin.

Mythical scenes, flowers, heroes and women are popular cameo designs.  Before the 1850s, the woman had a downward nose.  After the 1850s, upward noses and upswept hairstyles were depicted.

The most valued cameos are those of hardstone (agate, lapis, etc).  Quality of carving and rarity of image are also a factor.

CARING FOR YOUR CAMEO

Dust regularly with a soft brush.  Dust can scratch, so you must keep your cameo dust-free.  You can rinse with warm water and dry carefully.  Do not use soap or jewelry cleaners.