Portrait Of A Lady - Art Deco 800 European Silver Carved Conch Shell Cameo & Rose Cut Marcasite Pendant/Brooch (ADP018)

Portrait Of A Lady - Art Deco 800 European Silver Carved Conch Shell Cameo & Rose Cut Marcasite Pendant/ Brooch.  This gorgeous pendant/brooch is crafted from 800 European silver, hallmarked, tested and confirmed. The chain is hallmarked 925 for sterling and Italy. The pendant features a natural conch shell carved cameo, 24 genuine rose cut marcasite Art Deco era styling, and quality craftsmanship. The natural cameo in this wonderful piece features a beautiful portrait of an elegant lady, displaying flowing hair, a pretty face, bare shoulders, and a pearl necklace. The carving is fine and the relief is high, which gives the piece dimension (a very much desired characteristic in cameos) Surrounding the precious cameo is a frame of silver set with sparkling marcasite.  The cameo is a peachy/pink color and white, displaying a fantastic sheen. The cameo pendant has a bale and pin with a lock , which allows the pendant to be worn as a brooch. The pendant has been matched up to a substantial chain, which works perfectly with the antique piece. This Art Deco era pendant/Brooch would make a very special gift or addition to any fine jewelry collection. 

History:The ancient Sumerians created the first cameos, often used as seals. The ancient Greeks also used cameos as currency, and many of these pieces have been found in archaeological excavations. Cameos continued to be popular during the Roman Empire and were often used as signet rings.

Marcasite was first used in jewellery as far back as ancient times, with Greeks, Thracians and Egyptians featuring the stone in their embellishments – Cleopatra herself was said to have worn marcasite.

Silver Mining in History. The story of silver mining began about 5,000 years ago. Silver was first mined around 3,000 BCE in Anatolia, now located in modern-day Turkey. The precious metal helped early civilizations in the Near East, Ancient Greece to flourish.