While rummaging through the jewelry looking for items for a display, I found a bunch of pieces in the Costume Museum of Canada’s collection that caused me to wonder, “is this a set? A Trend? What?”
There are earrings:
I can’t begin to tell you what they are made of. There is a bracelet labeled 1850.
And a choker:
The choker is labeled 1840 and the cameos are attached to a black velvet band. My guess that velvet isn’t original.
They are close but not quite the same, are they? And the fact that two of the pieces are labeled as being 10 years apart implies they are not a set. And I realize cameos have been popular, or trendy, off and on for ages, so it isn’t unheard of for there to be several different yet similar images that are classified as cameos but not sets. It is just I’ve never seen them in these earthy, almost clay like tones. If these were my pieces, and not the property of the museum, I would wear them like a set. But then again, I don’t really like these colors. What do you think?
It amazes me that these small pieces survived and look very good. The earrings are fabulous. They could be used as a set , the bracelet and choker but the earrings have a different cameo. Maybe someone back then collected cameos and kept them over the years. It is good I think that you are showing them the light of the day again. Good job.
This post has me kicking myself. Years ago, when funds were non existent, mom offered to buy me a set of scenic cameos set as a bracelet like the choker, and necklace. They would have been a good investment.
Hindsight is 20/20 isn’t it. Don’t kick yourself too hard!