The Classic Cameo: Looks Can Be Deceiving! By Jon Kreps At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Many of us assume that the classic cameo design originates during the time of Queen Victoria when the jewelry was most popular. However, examples of the cameo design have been found in carved agate jewelry dating all the way back to around 300 b.c. Some older, vintage cameos are worth hundreds on the market today while there are also plastic pieces that are only worth a fraction of that amount.

Buying valuable pieces that will appreciate in value boils down to knowing how to spot the hidden gems in flea markets and online auctions. Cheap knock-offs will be made from inexpensive materials while the better pieces will be made out of better materials like ivory or agate. Those crafted using plastic and glass should be avoided but try to look for any crafted using:

Ivory
Wood
Abalone
Shells
Coral
Bone

Problems in the identification process arise because plastic imitations are out there and they have purposely been designed to imitate the natural, more valuable materials. Typically, the best and most valuable pieces are carved while your cheaper imitations will tend to be molded. The really cheap molded pieces will be shiny and easy to spot. Despite being exceedingly rare, there are a few known designs featuring molds using natural substances like ivory.

Despite the few exceptions, most molded pieces are not worth very much money so you want to avoid them where possible. Most of us are fooled occasionally by a really high quality imitation shell but molded imitators can be identified by the trained eye. Collectors can identify glass cameos by looking on the back of the piece for the appearance of mold marks or ridges. Spotting the cheap pieces is a critical component of profitable cameo collecting.

Molded cameos tend to be overvalued while the carved pieces can be found drastically under-priced in flea markets and online auction sites. The great diversity of materials used in creating carved cameos means collectors have a lot of things to look for when trying to identify a specific piece.

The cheaper plastic versions can be spotted upon close inspection of the portrait and will feature few precise lines and poor detail. Abalone and mother of pearl are other natural substances used to create valuable cameos and can be separated from their plastic imitators by a higher degree of detailing, and a thick flat back. The infamous "two-toned" effect common to many of the most prized cameos is often found in pieces made from agate so you have to be careful about rushing to judgment!

Because hard stones are more difficult to shape and carve than substances like shell or even agate, they will tend to be the most valuable cameos of all. The best and simplest way to identify an authentic stone cameo is to pay close attention to the space between the back of the portrait and the flat plaque. What will be present on a stone piece is a slightly concave nature to the back of the portrait itself. If you do happen to find a stone piece at a flea market or online auction be sure to grab it up because it is sure to appreciate in value. But if it turns out to be some carved imitation—just walk away because it will never appreciate in value no matter how long you own it!

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