I have now found 4 of the exact same cameos except they are all different colors. This is, with out a doubt, a mass produced product. Still uncertain as to what type of material it is made of. Two cameos had color painted on, one like mine was made from a colored material before being formed into the cameo. These are NOT lava or a lava like material. More like a powdered wood pulp that has been pressed into a mold under very high pressure.
Have not gotten an ID on the figure.
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Neapolitan Crafstmen - Volcanic Molding - Cameo - I have seen her too by: Bronwen
I have seen her many times but never been able to identify this female laureate figure. The laurel wreath indicates she is celebrated in some field whose practitioners are considered to have the gifts of Apollo. She is wearing modern dress (relatively, as opposed to classical drapery) & the hairstyle is from the early 19th century. Since this is a woman, probably a writer or a singer.
I have yet to find any documentation on the subject, but am convinced that Neapolitan craftsmen found a way to mold volcanic material. My guess is that they took volcanic ash, the pozzolana the Romans used to make cement, pulverized it, made it into a slurry, poured it into molds, dried & in some cases gave finishing touches by hand after removal from the mold, to create the illusion of a hand carved piece.
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Thanks for comments!!!! by: Ron Hynd
Thank You Everyone for your comments. I have seen the "exact" same cameo offered on Ebay twice by different people. On Ebay they were listed as lava.
However, I own several lava cameos and the weight is wrong. I have scrached the back and it does not offer the resistance of lava and under a 30X loupe it does not look like lava or hardstone.
The back is also covered by a consistant dimple pattern which is unlike anything I have ever seen on all the lava cameos I have handled. All visual evidence points to a molded piece under high pressure.
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crossed swords by: Anonymous
Ron, is that a crossed sword on the drapery directly underneath the pearls?
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Apollo Wearing A Double Strand of Natural Pearls by: Anonymous
Good Morning Ron
Thank you for writing in. Where did you see the "exact" same cameo? No two handcarved cameo will be "exactly" alike.
the exquisite detailing is well... perfectly executed, almost too good to be true....and if the cameo subject is male; the beardless, young Apollo from Ancient Greek mythology (as visitor has reason to believe) who slew the python, competed musically with another ancient Greek god, Pan, and insulted still another god, the ancient Greek god of love - Eros/Cupid, then Apollo wearing a double strand of pearls would make this cameo remarkable on two counts.
The pearls FYI would be NATURAL Pearls, as the representation is from ancient history, long before the idea of Cultured Pearls was even a nano-glint in the cerebral Greek Apollo's eyes.
1. A male from antiquity represented in three dimensional form, wearing a double strand of pearls which would be Natural Pearls. (FYI males of noble status wore natural pearls in antiquity).
2. Apollo Wearing Pearls.
According to Greek mythology Cupid shot Apollo (on account of rejecting love) with one of his arrows; Apollo was fated to a disastrous and unrequited love. Daphne, the object of his love, metamorphosed into a laurel tree to avoid him.
Hi there. It is a little difficult to tell without being able to test this, however based on the subject ( which appears to be Apollo , Greek and Roman God of Music ) with the noble profile and Laurel Wreath crown, and the wonderful colour and detailing on this, I believe that this is Lava Rock.
Lava cameos were very popular in the Victorian era, and the lava comes in many colours. This is a wonderful looking carving. It is three dimensional and very well made. Lava cameos are still being made today. It would really need to be examined closely to determine exactly, but it does not look like wood. If it is hardstone or lava it will be cool to the touch and have some weight . When you tap it gently it should " clink " rather than "thud". If you apply a hot pin to the back it will not have any effect at all.
