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| 16th Century Garnet Cameo | Very high quality late 16th. century cameo in garnet, with the portrait facing left of St.Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) as a Cardinal.This cameo is contemporary with the Saint it depicts, or at least its carving must have shortly followed his death. It is a very rare subject on gems, but another cameo is known, of 19x15mm, formerly in the collection of the legate Timoni and now in the Kunsthistoriches Museum in Vienna (Eichler-Kris 268). San Carlo Borromeo (1538-1584), Cardinal-Priest of the Title of St.Prassede,was Papal Secretary of State under Pious IV (Pope from 1559-1565)-i.e. his uncle Giovanni Angelo de'Medici.He acted as one of the chief factors in the Catholic Counter-Reformation having used his influence to re-assemble the Council of Trent (which have been suspended since 1552 but did resume, in 1562).Despite his family's wish , he did not marry, and instead was ordained priest in 1563-celebrating his first Mass in St.Peter's-and than bishop the same year. He arrived in Milan as an archbishop in 1565- the first resident one in eighty years. His devotion to helping people during the plague in 1576 was exceptional, and he was noticed for applying to the letter all the rules of the Church-even taking part to a barefooted procession to do penance for his people. All his life, he fought for the Council, and for a proper behaviour of the clergyman, while he was often representing the Church around Europe-he was known and appreciated by sovereigns such as Henri III of France, Philip II of Spain, and Mary Queen of the Scots. Devotion to him started immediately after his death, he was beatified in 1602, the material for his canonisation was collected and sent for approval in 1604, and he was finally made a Saint in 1610 by Pope Paul V, with his feast on November 4th.His blood relatives, the Borromeos and the Medicis, and his families-in-laws, which included the Gonzagas, were all important and wealthy Italian aristocrats, so it must be of no surprise that such luxurious commemorative jewels would have been made to honour their Cardinal or their Saint.(Inf.Robert Makay) Measurements: hollowed back, 15.1x11.1x4.2mm 1.33 gr. Ref: CAM0161 | | | |
 | Large Agate Cameo Portrait of Marie Louise | Large honey coloured high profile agate cameo portrait of Marie Louise second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte Emperor of France. Depicting her in a classical manner probably as Helen of Troy but with a crown decorated with Fleur de lys, symbol of France. Size: 55mmx35mm Ref:CAM0035 | | | | |
 | Large Chrysoprase Cameo of Serapis c. 1820 | Following Alexander's death, and the spread of the Roman Empire, mainstream society upgraded to a new set of gods using the Roman sun god Saturn and a new god for Alexandria, Egypt named Serapis. Serapis was the very novel solution of Ptolemy I that he used to keep the peace in Alexandria between the Egyptian and the Greek cultures. Even though the no-name god and Serapis were both very excellent ideas for a mixed population, was only Serapis that was able to evolve along with Isis Frederick the Great king of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. Addicted to the arts, adorned his opulent palace at Potsdam, named Sans Souci, with objects and furniture made in whole or part of chrysoprase. All of the material for these works (among them, two all-chrysoprase tables) came from a find in what is now Poland but was then Silesia. Frederick preferred this quartz to any other gem. His favorite ring, which he never removed, was set with a large chrysoprase surrounded by diamonds. His elegant walking stick was topped with a chrysoprase handle. According to Albertus Magnus (1206-1280), scientist, philosopher, and theologian -- and one of the most widely read and most learned man of his time -- it was during the time of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) that some began calling chrysoprase the "victory stone."
As the story goes, Alexander the Great's amazing eleven-year winning streak was said to have been due to the fact that he always wore a "prase" stone on his belt or "girdle."
But, one day as Alexander was walking near a river, a snake surprised him, "biting the stone off the girdle and dropping it in the river." Supposedly, from that time forward, Alexander never won another battle, an anomoly in the short but brilliant career of this extraordinary soldier who died at the age of thirty-three
Size 37mmx27mm Ref:CAM0042 | | | | | | |  | Two colour agate Cameo | Large two coloured agate cameo. Probably Italian circa 1550. Battle of the seamonsters, after the ancient. Size: 52mmx42mm Ref: CAM 9814 | | | | | | |  | Agate Cameo Carving Antinious | High relief white and grey agate cameo of Antinious, lover of Emperor Hadrian, 117-138 A.D. The Greek born Antinious travelled with the Emperor all round the Empire. In 130 A.D. Antonious was drowned, and inconsolable with grief, Hadrian had him declared a god and established the city Antinouspolis in his name. Size: 21mmx18mm Ref: CAM 9824 | | | | | | |  SOLD | Agate Cameo of a Wedded Couple | Large honey coloured agate cameo of a wedded couple, c.1600, in a silver gilt frame circa 1650 Size of cameo: 45mmx35mm Ref: CAM 9818 In medieval Italy treasures of the Etruscans, Greeks and Romans began to appear in the ruins of ancient cities, jewellery set with carved gems, cameos and intaglios - an extraordinary craft nearly lost with the fall of the Roman Empire. These rare carved masterpieces entered and survived in the collections of The Vatican, European Nobles and Royals, but by the beginning of the 15th Century, supplies began to dry up. To meet the demand re-establishment of the ancient art began with the copying of ancient gems, only to become a reborn art-form with countless portraits of men of the age depicted as Zeus or Hercules and marriage portraits with bride and groom portrayed as Roman Emperor and Empress, or as Pluto and Prosepina. Examples of similar marriage portraits can be seen in the collections of The Louvre, Paris, The Vatican, Rome, The British Museum, London, The Metropolitan Museum, New York. See also Ancient and Modern Jewels In The Collection Of Her Majesty The Queen, Kirsten Aschengreen Piacenti and John Boardman 2008. Pages: 116 – 119. SOLD | | | | | | | | |  SOLD | Agate Cameo Portrait | | 16th century agate cameo portrait of one of the Medici's, Prob. Italian c.1550. In high carat gold ring setting. The mount is circa 1800. Ref: CA03 SOLD | | | | |  | Agate Cameo Portrait of Youth | 16th century agate portrait of youth. Probably Italian c.1580.The mount is late 20th century in high carat gold.
Ref: CA04 | | | | |  | Agate Cameo Carving | Highly three dimensional carving of agate cameo. Probably Italian c. 1800
Ref: CA06 | | | | | | | | | |
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