one more thing - COL may be short for - Columbia - but there may not have been enough room on the gold surround to stamp the whole word.
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One more thing by: Sarah Deane
Just thought I'd tell you more about the cameo itself so i can learn more, I can see through it in the light (no cracks), she has nicely carved long hair that has been put into a nice up-do, it is cold and sounds like glass/shell when i tap it (gently of course).
The gold plated setting is a leaf ring like that on caesar olive ring. She has a pointed nose and it's slightly curved and her face is carved nicely with a pearl drop earing also. It has a sort of carved out back in the middle behind the bust as well. Anything else you can tell me would be fantastic,
Thanks Yvonne you have been great to talk to!
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Came Pendant Lady by: Anonymous
Hi Sarah that's the spirit! There's lots of needy people out there at the moment.
You enjoy your lovely cameo pendant and don't forget to drop by again!
best wishes, Yvonne
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Thanks by: Anonymous
Thankyou again, yeah i am going to keep it and not worry about going back, it's only an op shop and the proceeds went to a good cause!! I Love it and probably wont sell it anyway, thankyou for all your time yvonne
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Cameo Value by: Anonymous
Sarah glad we could help out! Even if the mount is not solid gold, the cameo itself might be valuable. Not every valuable cameo will be set in solid gold. During the late 1800s antique cameos were often set in silver.
The gold content of the setting around the cameo is just one clue to its value but it's no way definitive of cameo value. The only way to know for sure is to have the metal tested. Other factors have to be taken into consideration. However, as you were sold this item as solid gold, and it's gold plated you have every right to return it for full refund or partial refund if you decide to keep it.
with regards Yvonne
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Gold coated!!! by: Sarah Deane
Thankyou for your suggestions, I had a close look with my loupe and it is gold coated, the cameo seems like real shell though which is good. I did pay $90 for it though as the jeweller said it was 9ct, so i'll be going back to see him. I really love it though but im trying to get into antique dealing so this will be a good lesson for me, thankyou so much for your help Yvonne
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Is the Cameo Mount Gold? by: Anonymous
Hi Sarah thanks for writing to us about the following cameo question:
"Hey i have a small gold/shell cameo pendant with a woman's bust that has a gold mark "K COL" on the pendant tip. I was wondering what that means. It has no gold hallmarks to say where/when it was made or if it's actually gold, also i can see the carving marks on the shell so i asume it is real cameo, i found it in an op shop. Please help me, i can't find anything on the internet or in books."
Sarah, aren't you lucky finding a shell cameo in an op shop! There are ways to test if it is in fact genuine shell cameo and not composite cameo material.
There are many weird and wonderful marks on gold-filled. I think it might have been done intentional to baffle us all. You have RGP and KGF G.F on S.S
In fact there are gold filled pieces in circulation marked "SOLID".
Gold plated pieces can often be identified by an examination of the places that get the most wear. This is because the layer of gold is thin and wears away over time around the wear points.
Have a really good look with a magnifying glass or jewelers loupe all along the mounting, and the reverse, and see if you can see any traces of wearing away, color variations of the gold from the surface of the base metal.
