Featured What Is a Cameo - NOT!

A thread for me to express my frustration & sometimes disbelief, prompted by this one:

Highly unusual 9ct ring set with a cameo with unusual 'eye' natural design



I expect most of you know, but in case not, this is the operculum from a green sea snail/turban shell. It is in no way, shape or form a cameo.

What have you see in this category?

 

at least they got the materials correct, sort of.

 

Darling......... you're preaching to the choir , and yelling at the wind !!

You know folks list stuff , that they don't have a clue , what it actually is.
& others........they don't care ....or worse!

I recently noticed on Eblech , that the same seller of fake NWC , 1st nations carvings .....who was there years ago , is still there.....selling the same crap.....for higher prices...!!
And all the others that follow suit !!

 

I don't know Cameos from Romeos, but thanks to Ms. @Bronwen devoted campaign- even I know that aint one !

 

And that's why it's called "venting".

 

I think the ring might look better if the stone were turned over. What I'm seeing on the bottom is kinda neat looking.

 

I never quite got what people see in operculum, it doesn't work for me.

 

Did they mention the big chunk out of it on the lower left?

 

Nope. They do say: Scarce and classy quality piece.

 

This is from an auction house, but they generally rely on consignor's info, or lack thereof.

 

It is, but that side is flat & matte while the side with the 'eye' is convex & shiny, like a cabochon. It's the shiny smooth side the mollusk pulls in with itself when the shell is closed up.

 

I find it interesting but do not like these 'golden' ones as much as the ones that have more green. I think they have always been more of a novelty, like jewellery that uses actual scarab beetle carapaces as the gem. I have a bracelet that was made using King George VI coins hammered to form bezels around the operculi & has a tiny working silver buckle for the clasp.

 

That is called Shiva's eye, all opercula have that and you can buy Shiva's eye jewellery very cheaply. But only the green turban shell has the green and ochre cat's eye operculum with that beautiful porcelain gloss.
In Indonesia the cat's eye is called "matabiak", "eye of Biak", and that is what many people here in NL call them as well. Biak is an island off Papua.

Having lived in Sydney, Australia and traveled the Pacific, they are like a bit of home to me. I have a sterling ring mounted with a giant green cat's eye which I bought in Fiji, and a few other bits and pieces.

 

Another so-called cameo, from the Dutch Marktplaats. Enjoy!


https://www.marktplaats.nl/v/sierad...lationId=3d8688e2-e5f2-4e11-abfa-f7f69e8275a6

The Dutch word for cameo is camee (see, Dutch is easy).

 

I like the look of this one, but it's not a cameo...

https://maggiemayfashions.com/shop/accessories/porcelain-romantic-era-portrait-cameo/

 

This is where I like to see opercula -

Tatanua mask from New Ireland, Rietberg Museum, Zurich