Acrylic Cameos, Glass Cameos, Lucite Cameos & Resin Cameos
Cameos are usually oval in shape and depict a portrait in profile, carved in base relief, against a different coloured background. Traditionally cut from softer gemstones, such as banded agate, jet, onyx as well as lava stone and sea shell, production moved from hand carving to moulded Bakelite cameos at the turn of the century and now they are more readily found as pressed glass cameos, acrylic cameos or lucite cameos, and hard resin cameos.
Cameo portraits, the head and shoulders of wistful women and heroic men, sit alongside scenes of guardian angel cameos, bird cameos, and flower cameos including rambling rose cameos. Primarily an Italian art form cameos became a notable souvenir from the Grand Tour, and through the ages they have been used in settings for necklaces, brooches, earrings or rings for women, as well as watch fobs, rings and stick pins for men.
Taken a step further these miniature pieces of art become a cameo habille, which translated from the French means dressed cameo. Here the subject is depicted in base relief, actually wearing a piece of jewellery with a real diamond artfully embedded in the design, adding to the overall cameo effect.
To complement these contemporary acrylic cameos, glass cameos, lucite cameos, and resin cameos Big Bead Little Bead stocks a selection of authentic Vintage Cameos.
New additions to our acrylic cameos, glass cameos and resin cameos are showcased on our social media pages