 | Jerry McAlpin
is President and owner of Annie's Antique Mall located at 1600 E. 61st Street North (61st street & Hydraulic) in Park City, Kansas. Annie's is the area's oldest mall, and is known by antique dealers and collectors nationwide for it's consistent high quality and selection. A dealer and avid collector, Jerry has been involved in antiques for 30 years. He can be reached by phone at Annie's Antique Mall (316)-744-1999. |
Antiques & Collectibles
2003-04-01 11:45:00
Hey Jerry, what's it worth?
ANSWER: Cameos-really miniature pieces of sculpture-have been around since the 4th Century B.C. What distinguishes a cameo is that they are carved in a manner that the subject projects above the background in relief, rather than incised into the surface, or "intaglio." All manner of materials were used for cameos, and dating them can be very tricky. The material and design, anatomy, hairstyles, clothing of the subject can provide some clues, but these are not always reliable. Value is usually determined by the age, craftsmanship, materials, and subject. Some are signed by the artist, some have polished backs and many do not. A lot of things to consider!This is a tough call from a photo-but your double shell cameo appears to be a 19th century neo-classical subject, maybe Paris and Helen from Homer's Illiad (just a guess!) and would be $400 to $500 locally, but could very easily bring twice that or more at one of the major auction houses.
