Mystery miniature painted? print? Any ideas?

This portrait measures 3.5cm in diameter and is on plastic. It has been cut, not particularly well, into a circle. There may be a signature lower right. I am holding it up to the light in the last two photos and have included a shot of the back. I reckon it has been highlighted by hand, but wonder why? What for? What purpose and what sort of age? Any suggestions appreciated, thanks.

 

Probably for a jewelry casket. I have seen a lot of these embellished by hand with the raised enamel to give the impression of it all being hand painted.

 

That fits perfectly. A Google search turns up some much more desirable ones. Thanks laura9797!

 

I was thinking along similar lines, although was seeing it as a compact lid. Material looks like something similar to Celluloid. You frequently see this sort of enhancement to make transfers on porcelain look like they are actually hand painted when the subjects are period beauties like this.

 

1930s from the eye brows.

Debora

 

Thanks. A compact is also a possibility. She has found a home in a vintage collapsible cup.

 

These sort of little miniature paintings were popular in the early 1900s.
Could very well have been taking out and the frame reused.




Seems a shame to banish her to the bottom of a cup.

 

I would not exclude that it's a lithophane. these were also used at the bottom of beer steins, so that when the last drops were drunk you'd see a picture of the Kaiser or a risky lady .

 

@Fid.....do you mean 'at the bottom of GLASS beer steins' where the portrait could be sealed on the outside bottom and wouldn't be ruined??

 

also in ceramic ones. but these were all round, so here it's a good chance that it's on a small container like a pill box and when you open it you'd see the lady by the light.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithophane
here a bit more in English.
the German one mentions porcelain, plastic and glass as material.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithophanie

 

Thank you.....I've saved it to read a bit later in the day.....sounds very interesting!!!!

 

The have the cup on its side, clutteredcloset49, so it acts as a frame. She is pretty. Thanks for all this information, much appreciated.