Rare historical lava cameo earrings made from 333 / 8 Kt gold and gold-plated tombac (hallmarked, tested and guaranteed).
Each of these antique earrings consists of an oval and a teardrop-shaped, bezel-set lava cameo, which are connected to one another in a movable manner. The greenish-beige cameos are each decorated with portraits of women in profile, depicted in an antique-style with their hair pinned up and wearing tunics.
The teardrop-shaped cameos are also adorned with decorative carvings reminiscent of a tuft of feathers.
The antique gemstones are set in gold-plated tombac, whilst the ear hooks, made of 8 carat yellow gold, were added at a later date.
These historic earrings were created around 1880 and originate from the Naples area. Lava cameos bear witness to the keen enthusiasm for antiquity in the 19th century, when the archaeological sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum were extremely popular and significant stops on the itineraries of educational travellers. Jewellery such as this was often brought home as a souvenir at that time.
These beautiful earrings are a rare collector’s item as well as an original gift for lovers of antique jewellery!
Dimensions of the earrings: 5.8 x 1.4 cm.
Dimensions of the lava cameos: ca. 1.2 x 0.9 cm and 3.2 x 1.2 cm respectively.
Weight: 7.2 grams in total.
Condition: Very good historical condition, gold ear hooks added at a later date, freshly cleaned; see photos.
You will receive the earrings lovingly packaged in one of our pretty cases, along with a certificate of authenticity.
Please note: Vintage and antique jewellery are pre-owned items which, due to their history, may show slight signs of wear.
