ANTIQUE VICTORIAN CARVED SHELL CAMEO PENDANT - CLASSICAL GODDESS DEMETER / CERES

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

ANTIQUE VICTORIAN CARVED SHELL CAMEO PENDANT - CLASSICAL GODDESS DEMETER / CERES:
$77.44

VICTORIAN SHELL CAMEO PENDANT - GODDESS DEMETER / CERESAntique Victorian shell cameo of Demeter (Ceres), goddess of the harvest and fertility in Greek (Roman) mythology. Finely carved, it is set into an engraved and decorated yellow metal mount which is probably 9 carat gold or higher but which is unmarked and untested, so I cannot confirm the composition. The setting probably started out as an earring and was subsequently converted into a pendant/brooch. I am selling it as a pendant as I think it looks much better worn like this in view of the twin-leaf decoration and fitted ring at the top. Also, there is a little bit of movement in the pin so if it were ever to be worn as a brooch I would recommend fitting a safety chain first for extra security.
The carving is exquisite, with lovely detail to Demeter\'s facial features and to her hair crowned with a diadem and symbolic ears of grain. There is a signature on the reverse which I cannot make out and also a number - 65? - perhaps denoting 1865 as the year in which it was carved. It is in good used condition and the cameo is line-free. An enchanting, high-quality little pendant, it measures 25mm (1\") high approx., not including the ring at the top. The circular bezel measures 20mm (just over 3/4\") in diameter. PLEASE NOTE: this listing is for the cameo pendant only and does not include the chain shown in two of the images.