A commanding piece of Victorian assemblage jewellery combining a boldly carved olive lava Bacchante cameo, set against a polished slab of banded dark sardonyx and housed in an ornate brass frame, with a weight and authority in the hand that few brooches of any era can match. The Grand Tour lava carving, the classical subject matter and the honest story of a period repair give this brooch a depth of character entirely its own.
Product Specifications
Estimated Era: Antique, Victorian (c.1860s-1880s)
Material: Brass with olive volcanic lava cameo and banded sardonyx
Colour: Gold Tone
Maker: Unsigned
Condition & Measurements
The olive lava carving is in excellent condition with relief detail crisp and intact; the brass frame shows visible solder marks to the reverse consistent with period repair and assembly, and the long pin and C-clasp are sturdy and functional. The sardonyx slab carries a visible central vertical crack that has been historically stabilised by the overlying cameo mounting, and this should be studied carefully in the photographs before purchase.
Length: 60mm
Width: 48mm
Weight: 24.3g
Boxes are not included and are for display purposes only.
