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ID #SA1003674
FOR SALE
£785
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Victorian 9ct Gold Wires Pinchbeck Cameo Long Drop Earrings
For sale by The Earring Curator
for sale €918     $997
£785
The Earring Curator

The Earring Curator

Sellingantiques Verified Since Apr 2023
Browse dealers 84 items
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Id #SA1003674
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Victorian 9ct Gold Wires Pinchbeck Cameo Long Drop Earrings

19th century
Description

A wonderful dramatic pair of Victorian cameo earrings with classical portraits carved into natural shell. The later ear wires are gold, while the earrings themselves are believed to be made of pinchbeck, an excellent hardwearing Victorian gold substitute.

• Condition: The earrings are in excellent antique condition with no chips or cracks to the cameos.

• Fixing: Secure nine-carat gold ear wires.

• Era: Victorian.

• Size: The total drop from the top of each ear wire is 8cm. The cameos measure approx 1.5 x 2cm.

• Weight: 9.3g.

Date of Manufacture

The Earring Curator has dated these Victorian Cameo Drop Earrings to the Victorian era.

Independent Date Guide ID 08025718
Dealer's Item DateVictorian era
Sellingantiques DateVictorian era
Sellingantiques agingItem 140-170 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE VICTORIAN ERA:
Hand-carved shell profiles: classical Bacchic subjects with individually detailed hair.
Open-backed settings: natural curve and inner layer colour of sea shell.
Rope-twist wire borders: Etruscan Revival styles popular in the 1860s and 1870s.
Soft wear to the gilt metal edges: gentle handling over many decades.

This Independent Date Guide was compiled by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. It works only from the photographs shown on this page and is never told the date the dealer has declared. It is a guide, not a guarantee of age, and occasional errors can occur.

Physical Dimensions
Height
8cm (3.15")
Width
2.5cm (0.98")
Depth
0.5cm (0.20")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1003674
Dealers Notes

TO BUY: Scroll down the page to the Buy Now with PayPal button and follow the prompts. Shipping is included in the price :)

TO ENQUIRE: Please make sure you check your junk mail if you don't receive a reply within 24 hours, I'll always respond to queries!

IMPORTANT! All items are vintage or antique and as such show light general wear appropriate to their age. Bear in mind photos are very magnified and flaws which can be seen in the pictures are often imperceptible to the naked eye in real life. I always do my very best to point out any additional flaws, but please look carefully at all the photos as they are an important part of the listing and do ask if you have any questions!

FREE INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING! Items to UK addresses are sent via Royal Mail Special Delivery or Tracked 48, and overseas items are shipped with a tracked and signed service where available.

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EASY RETURNS Any item can be returned within 14 days for a full refund. Items must be returned in the same condition they were sent out and unless an item is faulty postage will be deducted, alongside any costs (bank charges etc) which may have been incurred. If in doubt, do please ask!

PACKAGING All earrings come tissue wrapped and packaged in a new luxury box, antique boxes are for display only, unless otherwise stated in the description.

Description
A wonderful dramatic pair of Victorian cameo earrings with classical portraits carved into natural shell.
“
The later ear wires are gold, while the earrings themselves are believed to be made of pinchbeck, an excellent hardwearing Victorian gold substitute.
The Earring Curator
fig 1. A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires.
fig 1. Victorian 9ct Gold Wires Pinchbeck Cameo Long Drop Earrings

• Condition: The earrings are in excellent antique condition with no chips or cracks to the cameos.

• Fixing: Secure nine-carat gold ear wires.

• Era: Victorian.

• Size: The total drop from the top of each ear wire is 8cm. The cameos measure approx 1.5 x 2cm.

• Weight: 9.3g.

Date of Manufacture

The Earring Curator has dated these Victorian Cameo Drop Earrings to the Victorian era.

Independent Date Report ID 08025718
Dealer's Item DateVictorian era
Sellingantiques datingVictorian era
Sellingantiques agingItem 140-170 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the Victorian era:
Hand-carved shell profiles: classical Bacchic subjects with individually detailed hair.
Open-backed settings: natural curve and inner layer colour of sea shell.
Rope-twist wire borders: Etruscan Revival styles popular in the 1860s and 1870s.
Soft wear to the gilt metal edges: gentle handling over many decades.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
8cm (3.15")
Width
2.5cm (0.98")
Depth
0.5cm (0.20")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1003674
The Earring Curator
The Earring Curator
Sellingantiques verified Since Apr 2023

All things earrings

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the The Earring Curator Profile Page

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A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires.
1 / 12
Archive I A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires.

Victorian 9ct Gold Wires Pinchbeck Cameo Long Drop Earrings

Archive II A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires. View II
Archive III A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires. View III
Archive IV Scale Reference for A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires.
Archive V A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires. View V
Archive VI A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires. View VI
Archive VII A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires. View VII
Archive VIII A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires. View VIII
Archive IX A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires. View IX
Archive X A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires. View X
Archive XI A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires. View XI
Archive XII A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires. View XII
Enlarged Archival View
The Earring Curator

The Earring Curator
Telephone 07818 417935
Location
Brighton and Hove
East Sussex
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/earringcurator
Verified Since Apr 2023
Items For Sale 84
Items Sold 189
The Earring Curator
The Earring Curator
Verified Since Apr 2023
View Dealer Info
Location: Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/earringcurator
Verified
Apr 2023
For Sale
84
Sold
189
A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires.
Victorian 9CT Gold Wires Pinchbeck Cameo Long Drop Earrings
Ref: SA1003674
A pair of Victorian drop earrings featuring oval carved shell cameos set in pinchbeck frames with engraved leaf details and 9ct gold ear wires.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Detail View 6
Detail View 7
Detail View 8
Detail View 9
Detail View 10
Scale Reference
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectDrop Earrings
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • Material9ct Gold, Pinchbeck, Shell
  • ColourGold and White
  • MotifsCarved profile cameo, Leaf motif mount, Elongated cone drop, Shepherd hook wires
  • SizeH 8 cm (3 in) x W 2.5 cm (1 in) x D 0.5 cm (0 in)

These Victorian drop earrings are composed of pinchbeck mountings with later nine-carat gold shepherd hook wires, housing oval shell cameos carved with classical female profiles. The gold-coloured metal displays engraved leaf motifs above and below the central settings, alongside elongated cone drops that terminate the design. The white shell carvings depict classical portraits against neutral backgrounds within twisted wire bezels. Measuring 8 cm high, 2.5 cm wide and 0.5 cm deep, these earrings are worn as personal jewellery items. The combination of materials and classical motifs reflects Victorian accessory design, suitable for display within a collection or for contemporary wear.

FAQs

Victorian cameo jewellery often features carved relief portraits or classical scenes set within intricate metal frames. Popularised during Queen Victorias reign, these pieces drew inspiration from classical antiquity and Renaissance motifs.

Victorian drop earrings frequently combined carved materials such as shell, lava stone, or hardstone with metals including low-carat gold, rolled gold, and pinchbecka copper-zinc alloy designed to imitate gold.

Authentic nineteenth-century cameos display hand-carved details with subtle variations, translucent layers when held to light, and period-appropriate setting techniques such as crimped bezels and hand-drawn wire hooks.

Cameo drop earrings provide a distinctive accent when worn with high-neck blouses, tailored jackets, or simple evening dresses, allowing the detailed metalwork and carving to stand out.

Clean shell cameos gently using a soft, dry cloth or mild soapy water, avoiding submersion. Store pinchbeck and gold items in a dry, lined jewellery box away from humidity and chemical sprays to prevent tarnishing.
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