Lot 11
Northwestern Europe, England, Victorian era, ca. mid to late 19th century CE. This is a striking onyx cameo of an African man set into 64.41% (equivalent to 15K+) gold pendant setting and made wearable with a modern cord. The man faces left with short, curly hair and is deeply undercut to appear as if the bust is slightly floating above the rest of the stone. The different bands of the quartz stone have been expertly used, and the inversion of the usual cameo colors enhances the lovely profile. The stone is raised above the bezel lip and framed by an ornate scrolling motif that contains an integral loop and suspension bail. The pendant is threaded on a modern cord with a lobster clasp as a wearable accessory. Size (cameo): 0.6" L x 0.43" W (1.5 cm x 1.1 cm); (pendant setting): 1.5" L x 1" W (3.8 cm x 2.5 cm); (cord): 21" L (53.3 cm); gold quality: 64.41% (equivalent to 15K+); weight: 7.6 grams
Historical portrayals of African people in European traditions are often overtly negative and allude to servitude. The term for these types of motifs by Europeans are known as "Blackamoor," an insensitive term that Victorian artisans used as synonymously to express prejudiced ideas of "exoticism and otherness." Artisans created jewelry of aristocratic Africans with heavily bejeweled features known as habille cameos. While some cameos are often an elegant portrayal and a stark contrast to the more extreme stereotypical and racist portrayals of African and darker skinned people, it is still important to note these cameos were made in a tradition that saw these people as decorative objects rather than historical figures of importance. Because of this unsavory association with racist depictions, these striking cameos are often overlooked, but in Western cultures where historical depictions of non-white people in any context were so scarce, they are significant antiques to preserve.
Provenance: private East Coast collection, New York, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
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#169421
- Condition: Cameo is intact and excellent. Indiscernible signature on verso of cameo. Gold setting is intact with only minor surface nicks. Wearable and strung in modern times on a modern cord.
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