Title: Cameo Cutting
Author: Marsh, John B.
Language: English
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[Illustration: A PRIMROSE SHELL,

_By Signor Giovanni_.]



  _DARTON’S MANUALS FOR HOME WORK._

  CAMEO CUTTING

  BY

  [Illustration: John B. Marsh (signature)]

  AUTHOR OF
  “THE REFERENCE SHAKESPEARE,” “VENICE AND THE VENETIANS,” ETC.


  [Illustration: [_Page 17._]]

  With Original Illustrations.

  LONDON:
  WELLS GARDNER, DARTON, & CO.
  2 PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS, E.C.
  AND 44 VICTORIA STREET, WESTMINSTER, S.W.

[Illustration: 1890]



  Dedicated

  [_BY GRACIOUS PERMISSION_]

  TO

  HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE
  _PRINCESS LOUISE,
  MARCHIONESS OF LORNE_,

  WHOSE INTEREST IN
  TECHNICAL EDUCATION
  IS
  GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGED.



INTRODUCTION.


The art of cutting Cameos in shell is of so very recent birth, compared
with that of working in precious stones, that a claim to consideration
in setting forth the method and practice may justly be preferred. Yet
my little treatise, which is based upon practical experience, has
been found, even in more limited form, a sufficient guide for the
practice of the art, by a large number of amateurs in England, Wales,
and Switzerland, to produce good work; these were all of them skilled
in the use of the brush, the pencil, or the chisel. To all similarly
proficient in any department of art, Cameo-cutting will be found a
pleasant and interesting employment.



CONTENTS.


                                                 PAGE
  SHELL CAMEO-CUTTING                              11

  SHELL CAMEOS IN THE MUSEUMS                      19

  APPEARANCE OF THE CONCH-SHELL                    19

  ADAPTABILITY OF THE ART                          22

  COST OF PIECES OF SHELL                          25

  CARVED PUMICE-STONE                              26

  MOUNTING PIECES OF SHELL                         26

  DRAWING THE DESIGN                               29

  THE TOOLS                                        30

  THE USE OF THE HOLDFAST                          32

  PROCESS OF WORKING                               34

  WORKING BY NIGHT                                 41

  POLISHING                                        41

  SHARPENING THE TOOLS                             42

  COST OF APPLIANCES                               43

  DECLINE IN THE FASHION OF WEARING CAMEOS         44

  CAMEO-CUTTING HIGHLY RECOMMENDED                 47

  DERIVATION OF THE WORD “CAMEO”                   51

  A TEACHER AT WORK                                55

  LESSONS BY CORRESPONDENCE                        57

  IS THERE A MARKET?                               58

  DESIGNS                                          60



HANDBOOK

TO

CAMEO-CUTTING.



Shell Cameo-Cutting.


The discovery of the adaptation of the Conch-shell to the art of the
Cameo engraver is traceable no farther back than the beginning of the
reign of Her Gracious Majesty the Queen. The working of Cameos in
precious stones, however, goes back beyond the earliest historical
records; history contains no reference to the beginning or progress of
the development. Tradition declares that the art was of Asiatic origin,
and that it was practised by the Babylonians, from whom the Phœnicians
carried it into Egypt. Thence the progress of the work is clearly
traced to Greece and Italy, and in our own time to France and England.
Those who have practised Cameo engraving in England may be numbered on
the fingers of one hand. But it is not with the carving of precious
stones this handbook deals, but with the youngest of all the processes
discovered in connection with the production of the Cameo, that of
working the beautiful Conch-shell.

The use of this shell for the purpose of Cameo-cutting was first
practised in Italy, about the year 1820, and it was then believed to be
of Sicilian origin. For many years all the shells used were exported
from England, and the number averaged about three hundred per annum;
these were valued at 30s. each. They soon became a favourite medium in
Rome with the workmen, and the art was taken thence to Paris, where it
flourished. In 1847 the sale of shells was reported to have reached
100,500, and their declared value was £8900, while the Cameos which
were produced were estimated to be worth at least £40,000.

The prices of shells have since been very much reduced owing to an
increased importation, so that shells of great beauty may now be
purchased for 10s.; while they may be had in quantities as low as 1s.
6d. each. Choice black shells, however, still command a higher price.

The colour of the ground in these shells varies from pink and orange to
an absolute black: this is called the Black Helmet (_Cassis Tuberosa_),
and comes from the West Indian Seas. The shell with a pink ground is
called the Queen Conch (_Strombus Gigas_), and is also brought from the
West Indies. A favourite variety is the Bull’s Mouth (_Cassis Rufa_),
found in the East Indian Seas, which has a sard-like ground. Another
class is the Horned Helmet (_Cassis Cornuta_), which is brought from
Madagascar; in this the ground is dark claret in colour. Occasionally
shells are made use of having three layers, the upper, always
dark-coloured, serving for the hair, or a wreath, or for armour; the
second layer, which is always white, is used for carving the figure;
and the third layer is the ground.

Messrs. Francati & Santamaria,[1] of Hatton Garden, were the largest
and almost the only dealers in shells for Cameo work in the Metropolis,
and they cut them up to the exact size required for engraving. I have
seen in their cellars many thousands of Conch-shells brought from
foreign seas for the purpose of being cut up for export to Italy or
Paris. Mr. Santamaria, upon one occasion, showed me a magnificent Black
Helmet shell, which he said was the only one that had been discovered
out of about ten thousand. A shell of ordinary size only produces,
on being cut up, three or four large workable pieces, and these are
worth from 3s. to 5s. each; but the Bull Mouth, of small size, may
be purchased for a shilling. A face or figure engraved upon a shell
looks well, particularly when the taste of the artist enables him to
cover every knob with figures, and form an appropriate border of
leaves round the whole; even the circles round the apex of the shell
lend themselves to ornamentation, and shells carved all over are much
sought after. An experienced workman will often employ his leisure in
covering a large shell with work in this way. In the centre he places
the principal design, always a classic figure or group of figures, and
around, such ornamentation as his taste approves. One of these, cut in
Hatton Garden, was sold recently for a hundred guineas; and another,
almost entirely cut by Mr. W. King, a young Englishman then in the
employment of Messrs. Francati & Santamaria, sold for £80.

    [1] Partnership now dissolved.

The most celebrated Cameo engraver of modern times was Benedetto
Pistrucci, who designed the “George and Dragon” of our coinage, which
is acknowledged to be the finest work that has ever appeared in modern
currency. Of himself he says that he was in a manner born to the work
he took up from choice, and he mentions in proof of this that he had
square thumbs, and the palm of his right hand was covered with horny
skin. This had been a characteristic with certain of the males in
the family for several generations. He was the son of a judge, and
was born at Rome in May 1784. His eldest brother was a painter, and
every member of the family was endowed with artistic tastes. Italy,
in his youth, was overrun by the French, which caused his parents to
make frequent changes of residence. At fourteen years of age, being
then proficient in drawing, he was first put to a master, one Signor
Mango, who, perceiving his genius, employed him to make designs for
his Cameos. This provoked much jealousy among the other workmen, one
of whom stabbed Benedetto with a dagger. During his illness he amused
himself by modelling the figures he drew, and so perfected himself in
the stages necessary for becoming a thorough artist; less than this in
training will only make a workman. Upon his recovery he was sent to two
masters in succession, the second of whom, noticing the superiority
of his designs, exclaimed, “With one who has genius there is very
little for a master to teach.” At sixteen years of age he began work
on his own account; and, after a brief courtship, at eighteen years
of age, married a girl of sixteen, of gentle family. There were born
to them two daughters, Victoria and Eliza, and one son, Vincenzio.
Eliza and her brother were endowed with the paternal characteristic, a
horny palm, and became celebrated as workers in Cameo. At twenty-four
years of age Benedetto had succeeded in establishing a reputation as
an engraver of precious stones, having taught himself the process,
and constructed with his own hands the wheel with which he worked.
For several years he had sold Cameos worked in stones to one Angelo
Bonelli, a travelling dealer in gems; and discovering one day that a
specimen of his work had been stained to represent an antique, and
sold for a high price, he resolved for the future to place a secret
mark upon those he sold. On one of these, the head of Flora, he cut two
Greek letters in the hair. The condition of Italy at that time induced
him to consider the advantage of proceeding to England; but before
emigrating he executed several orders for one of Napoleon’s sisters,
one portrait being cut in stone, much smaller than a fly. Pistrucci
brought to London a letter of introduction to Mr. Konig, mineralogist
of the British Museum, and by Lord Fife he was introduced to Sir Joseph
Banks. The latter afterwards introduced him to Mr. Payne Knight, who
produced at their interview what he called the finest Greek Cameo in
existence, a most choice gem, a fragment of the head of Flora, for
which he had paid Bonelli 500 guineas. Pistrucci did not even take the
stone from the extended palm of Mr. Knight; a glance disclosed the
fact that it was that head of Flora in whose hair he had cut two Greek
letters, and for which Bonelli had paid him £5. An unpleasant scene
resulted. The letters were plainly visible; but Bonelli, realising that
his trade was at an end, boldly denounced Pistrucci. He pointed to the
wreath of flowers about the head in proof of his conceit that it was
an antique, asserting that no such flowers were then in existence; but
Sir Joseph Banks, examining them with a microscope, exclaimed, “The
flowers are roses, as I am a botanist!” Pistrucci offered to carve
another Flora exactly similar without looking again at the “antique.”
This challenge was not accepted. Then it was agreed that he should cut
a head of Flora in a different position, and this was accepted as a
test of the truth of his representations. The story soon spread through
London society; noblemen, scientific men, ladies of rank, watched the
growth of the new Flora under the hands of Pistrucci, and when it was
completed the dispute raged with increased bitterness, so that Payne
Knight’s antique Flora became the question of the day. The controversy
at length ended with universal expressions of sympathy for Mr. Payne
Knight.[2]

    [2] See title-page.

This stone may be seen in the Gold Ornament Room at the British Museum.
It is placed in the case of “Modern Engraved Gems,” upon which stands
the Alabaster vase engraved with the name of Xerxes, and is in the
bottom row of the case. The face is exquisitely beautiful, and the
roses which are cut in the upper coloured layer of the stone are
perfect. An attendant will point out this Flora to any one who asks for
it.

Pistrucci upon one occasion, while still residing in Rome, had an
antique pale-brown sard given him to recut by Domenico Desalief. The
subject was a warrior crowned by a female, but so clumsily executed as
to be of little value. There was, however, plenty of material to cut
away. After taking an impression in wax, he altered the whole; then he
cut away the knees of the figures, and recut them higher up, and so
remodelled the design that not a trace was left of the original forms.
The dealer was delighted, and sold the gem readily for the Imperial
Russian Cabinet of St. Petersburg, where it still remains, and is
regarded as of the highest value.

The dispute about the Flora indirectly brought about Pistrucci’s
appointment to the Mint as chief engraver, and he designed and executed
the “George and Dragon” among other works. Afterwards a considerable
amount of jealousy was created by his employment amongst the officers
of the Mint, and the members of the Royal Academy were divided about
his appointment, one portion insisting that native talent should be
encouraged, the other division holding that he was the best living
engraver. To restore peace, his appointment was subsequently styled
that of “chief medallist.” He cut two portraits of Her Majesty in
onyx, one as Princess, and the other as Queen wearing a diadem. On
retiring from the Mint he took a cottage at Old Windsor, where he died
in his seventy-first year, in 1855, only thirty-five years ago, and
recently enough for him to be well remembered by a few living men. His
connection with our own day, and the distinction to which one of his
pupils has risen, justify the introduction of his name into this book.
His daughters, before their father’s death, returned to Rome, where
they practised Cameo-cutting with great success.



Shell Cameos in the Museums.


There are in the collections shown in the Mediæval Room of the
British Museum several fine specimens of shell Cameos which date from
mediæval times, but these shells were found in the Mediterranean; and
at South Kensington there are a few specimens of shell Cameos worked
in Rome. The only illustrations of the art of progressive working in
the Conch-shell in any museum in London are to be seen in the South
Court of South Kensington, where the portrait of Millais is shown in
the several stages of progress, together with the shell from which
the piece worked was originally cut. These interesting specimens were
presented by Mr. James Ronca, who was a pupil of Pistrucci’s brother.
There are, of course, many separate specimens of carved Conch-shells,
in whole and in pieces, at both the British and South Kensington
Museums.



Appearance of the Conch-shell.


The shell will be readily recognised without an illustration. In form
somewhat resembling the human ear, the shell possesses properties
which can be found in no other specimen of the order. For the purposes
of the engraver, the several parts are called by totally different
names, according as the workman came from Naples or Rome; but without
entering into a discussion of the origin of these, I propose to give
a few plain names to the several parts, in order to enable a worker
to order the particular piece or portion which is required. Thus, the
several parts are the back of the shell, the back of the Lip, the Dome,
and the Comb, the Mouth of the shell, the Lip, and the Face or Body.

The piece in the upper portion of the Dome is the most valuable,
because in that there is no variation of colour. Pieces cut from all
other portions of the shell vary slightly in depth of colour, the
colour deepening in tone as the mouth is approached. A piece suitable
for a brooch cut out of a Black Helmet would be worth 5s.; but with
regard to other shells the prices vary as set out in the following
list. Other portions of the Dome are used for brooches; but the
choicest piece is the one named. The Comb, having been cut off, is
cut up into separate knobs, and these are worked into heads which are
required to stand out in bold relief. The back edge is rarely worked,
and may be regarded as waste. The Lip is the next important portion,
and this is suitable for the carved handles of paper-knives, for
umbrella-handles, or for paper-weights. A full length figure of classic
form may be carved in the Lip, with admirable results, so as to command
a high price. The Lip is perhaps more frequently cut into pieces
between the raised edges which run at right angles to the course of the
mouth, and are used for carving fish or birds, or any form requiring a
portion in high relief. When the Dome has been cut through, a second
shell appears immediately below, and this is remarkable for having
three distinct layers, brown or red forming the surface, white the
centre, and brown or red the ground. Such a piece is necessary where
the design involves ornaments in the hair or a helmet on the head of a
warrior.

The shell is cut open by means of a tin wheel revolving on a spindle in
the ordinary way by means of a treadle. Above the wheel is a sloping
dish coming to a point on which emery powder lies, and above the tray
is a small keg of water regulated by a stop-cock, in such a way that as
the water trickles down the pan it carries particles of the powder on
to the wheel. The workman first cuts off the Lip, then he cuts across,
above and below the Comb, and finally cuts down from the point of the
Dome to the Comb again. This triangular piece is cut up into as many
portions as are required, care being taken first of all to cut out the
choicest piece from the upper portion.



Adaptability of the Art.


The practice of the art of Cameo-cutting solves to a certain extent one
aspect of the great problem now puzzling the most astute minds--how to
find remunerative work for skilled hands. Here is a field at present
quite unoccupied--an industry admirably adapted to thousands already
trained in the requirements of art, and only needing the suggestion to
enable them to realise the fruit of years of industrious and patient
study. In this, as in all other artistic occupations, there must be
a groundwork on which to ensure success. Any one ignorant alike of
the principles of drawing or modelling or carving can never become
proficient in the art of Cameo-cutting, though by patient labour
success may be obtained as a copyist, and the worker be able to cut
geometric patterns, flowers, and coats-of-arms, which would command a
ready market. For the higher successes attainable by a Cameo engraver,
the position of a true artist, whose work would be recognised by the
form of a hand or the modelling of an eye or an ear, there must be a
previous knowledge of drawing, with skill in modelling and ability to
carve.

Nothing less than a first place should content the Cameo-worker.
The age is one which is eminently suitable for the growth of the
profession. Drawing has for many years been taught in Schools of Art
on scientific principles, and pupils have proceeded from drawing to
modelling, to carving in wood, or to painting in water and oils in
these schools, until a point of excellence has been reached thought
impossible before they were established. Even in the rate-sustained
Board Schools children of tender years are taught to draw with
surprising accuracy, and such of them as take pleasure in their work
might very easily learn how to cut simple forms suitable for buttons or
bracelets. The only thing they would have to acquire would be the use
of the graver, following upon the work of the pencil. Nor is this an
exaggeration, because two little girls of eight and ten, from watching
their father at work, actually fashioned little vases and hearts in
pieces of shell by using fine files. From children as inexperienced as
these, and from such an elementary knowledge of drawing as the School
Board imparts to the young, up to the most experienced artist,--the
gold medallist, the born genius with pencil or chisel,--there is enough
in Cameo-work to supply scope for all--enough to gratify the child’s
wish, and the larger ambition; and, beyond the choicest specimen of art
in existence, enough to leave still greater triumphs to be realised
by future workers. By the practice of this art no industry at present
in existence in England would be injured; but, on the contrary, many
industries, such as those of the workers in silver and gold, the
wood-carver, and the cabinet-maker, would receive fresh development.
The present generation has never been in a position to consider this
industry as one attainable by the people until the present time; nor
would the Cameo supplant any artistic article at present enjoying
public favour. Cameos may be carved small enough to adorn a lady’s
ring, a gentleman’s shirt-stud, or a pin. They may be mounted for
bracelets, or act as pendants, or brooches, or be used for hairpins,
for buttons to fasten back the vest, or for jackets; as solitaires
for the shirt, or for sleeve-links. In the style of ladies’ dress
now worn there would be an unfailing demand. They may be fixed in
articles of ornament for the desk and table, inlaid in vases, caskets,
or dressing-cases; framed in the carved overmantel, inserted in the
backs of chairs, inset in curtain bands; or mounted on altar crosses,
set around Communion-cups or in alms-dishes, or worked into marble
memorials of the dead; or they might be inlet in the bindings of books.
From the variety of their ground--ranging from pink, through every
shade of brown, to an imperial purple, and a magnificent black--there
is no marble, metal, or wood with which the Cameo would not harmonise.
In the course of a conversation recently with one of our Princesses,
who is a patron of art, this point was dwelt upon, and the suggestion
was made that an anchor carved in shell would make an appropriate
button for a lady’s yachting costume.



Cost of Pieces of Shell.


The cost of ordinary pieces of shell per dozen may be ascertained by
reference to the following diagrams:--

[Illustration: FIG. 1.--Different Sizes of Pieces.]

Nos. 1 and 2, suitable for small and large ear-rings, 3s. per dozen;
No. 3, bracelet size, 4s.; No. 4, larger bracelet or small brooch, 6s.;
No. 5, large brooch, 8s.; No. 6, 10s.; No. 7, 15s. to 18s., according
to the colour; No. 8, 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. each.

The importers of these shells would make up a dozen of various sizes
if required. Great care is necessary in selecting pieces suitable for
working in order to avoid (1) the mark of a worm left in the early
growth of the shell; (2) patches of decayed shell; (3) a tendency to
chip, termed “flaking.”



Carved Pumice-stone.


An experienced Cameo engraver recommends a beginner to procure
pieces of Pumice-stone, which may be readily obtained, and begin by
carving in this substance. The stone is much softer than the shell,
and can be very easily shaped; and the colour lends itself to very
beautiful effects, but the surface being very soft, the fine work soon
disappears. As an intermediate step to the carving on the Conch-shell,
the Pumice-stone may be strongly recommended.



Mounting Pieces of Shell.


When it has been determined to carve a piece of shell, the first thing
to be done is to mount it upon what is technically known as a Stick.
Get the handle of a broom, cut off five inches, and cover each end
with cement made of a mixture of tar and resin. This may be procured
at any oil-shop. Ask for a cake of cement, and you get a square for a
1d. which would suffice for twenty or thirty pieces of shell, or you
may buy a pound for 6d. or 8d. Melt the cement as you would a piece of
sealing-wax, cover each end of the Stick with the melted stuff, so
as to form a bed; wet the under part of the shell, and press it into
the cement. This will hold the piece firmly while it is being worked.
By mounting a piece of shell on each end of the Stick, there is the
advantage of working upon two patterns at the same time, or of cutting
the same pattern twice, improving upon one by the experience obtained
in cutting the other.

In selecting an oval piece for working, care should be taken to get one
without flaw. This is a difficult matter, and requires a great deal
of experience. Beginners should select pieces tolerably smooth; but
practised workers prefer those which are irregular in their surface,
because they furnish more scope for the exercise of their skill. In
cutting these, the design follows the convolution of the shell. It is
dangerous to lower any one portion, because the white surface does not
preserve the same relative thickness all over the piece; and unless
care is taken the ground will show through. This is not a disadvantage
in the ear or the neck, but would be serious if it was apparent on
the forehead or in the cheek. A skilful Cameo-cutter will, however,
so arrange his design as to produce the blush of the ground in such
portions as to enhance the value of his work. In drawing the face,
avoid, if possible, the rough, rotten-looking patches. These are signs
of decay which may only be superficial, and disappear at the first
cut; but, on the contrary, they are more likely to penetrate deeply,
and may necessitate the lowering of the whole face before they can be
got rid of altogether.

Sometimes, when the face has been modelled, and nothing remains but
the finishing, a crooked line appears, which Cameo-cutters believe is
caused by the presence of a worm in the early development of the shell.
This is very difficult to get rid of; hence extreme care is necessary
in selecting the piece for working.

A third fault is “flaking,” when, by a single cut, the whole of the
forehead chips off, or half the nose disappears. There is no remedy
then; the whole face must be cut in low relief, or the piece be thrown
aside altogether; the latter is often the more preferable course. But
all these risks are minimised by experience. Having got a satisfactory
piece mounted, the Stick is held in the left hand, and the face drawn
upon it in lead-pencil, a little larger than the size actually required.

If a whole shell is to be carved, care must be taken in the first
instance to cleanse it. To do this, get a small quantity of muriatic
acid and wash with a brush; this will bring away all the dirt; then add
to some fresh muriatic acid hot water, immerse the shell for one or two
minutes; then rinse the shell in cold water.

Holtzaffpel, referring to the outlining of the design, recommends that
every portion be left rather in excess, so that there may be ample room
for improving the outline in finishing off. Be very careful not to
injure the ground, as the natural surface is superior to any that can
be given artificially.



Drawing the Design.


Beginners should draw the design or figure first upon a piece of paper,
or model it in clay or wax, and then draw the pattern upon the shell.

[Illustration: FIG. 2.--Transferring Head to Shell.]

If the surface of the shell is irregular, do not attempt to make it
level, but follow the irregularities, remembering that the white
stratum is of the same thickness all through the piece, and that if the
surface is filed down the ground will show through, disfiguring the
appearance of the design, and preventing the pattern being modelled in
proper proportions. When the design is settled upon, copy it on the
shell with the help, if necessary, of a star, as in the head (Fig. 2).
Draw the outline slightly larger than the design, so as to allow of the
proper proportions being secured on cutting. Skilful Cameo engravers
never use a pencil, but sketch the desired outline with one or other
of the cutting-tools; and many of them could not draw the figure on a
piece of paper which they readily cut with their tools.



The Tools.


There are at present none specially made for the use of the Cameo
engraver in England, but all that are required may be selected from
those kept in stock for the use of engravers.

Mr. G. Buck, 242 Tottenham Court Road, London, W., keeps the tools
most suitable for Cameo-work separate, and can supply them on request.
They are of two kinds, round and flat Scawpers and Spit-stickers, and
cost, handled, 3d. each. To these may be added a Fine File, and the
stock is complete, exhibiting in this respect a striking contrast to
the price of tools necessary for practising many other useful arts. The
Round Scawpers are used for first cutting the figure and developing
the several parts, the Flat Scawpers for smoothing the work, and the
Spit-sticker for putting in the finishing touches.

The following diagrams show the exact size of the several tools:--

[Illustration: Figs. a to h, Tools for Cameo-work.]

The following diagrams show the Flat and Round Scawper, handled, and
sections of each (Figs. 4 and 4a, 5 and 5a).

[Illustration: FIG. 4.

FIG. 4a.

FIG. 5.

FIG. 5a.

Handled Tools and Sections of them.]



The Use of the Holdfast.


The piece of shell having been mounted on a Stick, a grip is wanted in
which to hold the Stick with the left hand, while work is carried on
with the right hand. This may be obtained by using a piece of wood,
like that in the illustration (Fig. 6), and screwing it to the top of
a wooden table, so that the notch is projected a couple of inches in
advance of the edge of the table; or, if no special table is available,
a Holdfast should be purchased, such as is shown in Fig. 6. This is
screwed to the edge of a table from below, and fits any kind of table,
leaving no mark whatever. The price of a Holdfast varies from 1s. to
2s. 6d., and the article may be purchased at any tool-shop. A simpler
form of Holdfast may be obtained by purchasing an iron screw-clip,
which may be had from any ironmonger, and getting a notched piece of
wood, as shown in the above cut, and this is considered preferable by
many as furnishing a steadier grip while work is going on.

[Illustration: FIG. 6.--Holdfast.]



Process of Working.


Whatever may be the figure or pattern to be cut, the process is the
same with respect to the handling of the tools. The wooden handle lies
in the palm of the right hand, and all the power is imparted by the
palm. As the material operated upon is almost as hard as marble, power
is required to make a cut; but if the tools are well-tempered and very
sharp, a little experience will soon teach the cutter how to work. The
thumb of the right hand should be protected by a finger-stall from
injury by the edge of the tool. In the illustration (Fig. 7) the method
of holding the stick is shown in conjunction with the method of holding
the tool. The thumb of the left hand rises the height of the nail above
the top of the Stick; against this the thumb of the right hand is
placed, which furnishes the necessary resistance to the power created
by the palm of the right hand; the finger and thumb then direct the cut
which is to be made by the Scawper.

[Illustration: FIG. 7.]

Supposing the figure drawn to be a face, cut outline with tool Fig. A;
block out and model features roughly with D; form ornaments on head
and outline hair with C; develop more clearly with A and B. The face
can next be prepared with C, by one cut from brow to nose, and another
from nose to chin. With B separate the hair from the forehead, outline
the ear, divide the mouth and nose from the cheek by an upward cut to
the eyebrow; from the corner of the nose cut a triangle--this will
form the eye. Make two cuts for nostril and chin; midway between these
another cut will mark the mouth; sink the neck, outline the collar and
dress; the face is then “roughed.” The eye, nostrils, and mouth are cut
with B, and further developed with A. The hair is divided into masses
with B, separated into tresses with A, the whole sharply cut with the
Spit-sticker G, and finally smoothed with E and F.

When the whole face has been roughed, it is interesting to watch a
Cameo engraver at work. With a Scawper in his hand, he makes cuts
all over the face, indents the cheek, smooths the ear, fashions the
nostrils, lowers the nose, works at the mouth, forms the lips, cuts
the chin, rounds the little triangle which contains the eye, marks
the arrangement of the hair with a cut here and there, trims the
beard, and so passes over the whole face again and again, bringing
every portion into harmony before finishing any one feature. After
the triangle has been duly rounded, and the eyebrow formed, a single
cut separates the two lids of the eye, and lowers the eyeball at the
same moment. When the eye is open the likeness is complete; a portrait
becomes apparent when the nose and mouth are cut, but the fashioning
of the eye is necessary to make it perfect. The ear and hair play
important parts in completing the face. To fashion the hair requires a
great amount of skill, and the beginner is timid in making cuts, but
is aided in forming the curved tresses by turning the Stick with the
left hand to meet the Scawper used in the right hand. A fine Scawper is
necessary to cut the whiskers and beard, and the cuts should be short
and curved. When the whole face has been modelled to the satisfaction
of the worker, the third process begins--that of Finishing. In this
operation the Spit-sticker plays a very important part. The upper
eyelid is under-cut, which adds very much to the appearance of the eye;
the hair is also traversed by the Spit-sticker, as well as the beard,
and the tool smooths while it cuts. Finally, a Flat Graver is used
to smooth forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin, taking out all marks of
cuts, and softening the appearance of the whole. The hand soon becomes
accustomed to the use of the tools, and the timid cut of the learner
is exchanged for the graceful and vigorous stroke of the artist.

Holtzaffpel impresses upon all Cameo engravers the importance of
cutting all the edges of the figure quite square from the ground, and
not gradually rounding them down to the surface. This is effected by
under-cutting the edge where it rests upon the ground.

[Illustration: FIG. A.

FIG. B.

FIG. C.]

Let the beginner try a few floral outlines such as shown in Figs. A, B,
and C.

When sufficient progress has been made to justify attempting to cut a
face, the learner should begin with separate features--the ear, the
mouth, the nose, or the eye, as in the following sketches:--

[Illustration]

Or the features alone, as below:--

[Illustration]

The next stage would be to form a head complete; and the following
would be suitable for trial. The hair will require a considerable
amount of care at first, but by perseverance all difficulties vanish;
and when the features can be cut to the satisfaction of the engraver,
then a whole face should be tried where no likeness is necessary.

[Illustration]

Before attempting any portion of a face, one who is learning should
first cut a few simple patterns, such as the following, which would
serve as buttons for the mantle which is worn. The tools should be
used in the order given for the several processes already mentioned.

[Illustration]

The faces below will give an idea of the effect produced by the process
of “roughing;” and the same face when finished off.

[Illustration: Roughed.

Finished.]

The depth of white upon a piece of shell is insufficient to cut a face
in relief, except for very small heads, which would be quite beyond
the skill of a beginner. There is a beauty as well as character in the
profile completely lost in the full face; yet photographers are greatly
disinclined to make a _carte-de-visite_ of the profile.



Working by Night.


If the work is done at night, an Engraver’s glass is requisite in order
to concentrate the light without glare upon the shell. There are two
kinds of these glasses; one is filled with water in which sulphate of
copper is dissolved, and clarified with oil of vitriol; the other,
which costs 10s., consists of a large green glass eye, which moves up
and down a brass rod, and is screwed to the required height. This is
the better glass to use, as the oil of vitriol, however much diluted,
would, by the accidental breakage of the globe, cause the destruction
of any carpet over which the liquid ran. But no glass is required
during the day-time, and no artificial light is equal to the natural
light of day; work should therefore be confined to hours before dark.



Polishing.


When the face or figure has been finished, the ground must be cleared
for polishing. Great care must be taken during the work not to cut
down into the natural ground, marks being very difficult to efface.
Use the Round Scawper to remove the white, and then the Flat tool to
remove all traces of the white. Next cut up a bit of firewood into
small lengths, point each length, and rub the surface of the Cameo
with powdered pumice-stone and water, then wash with warm water and
soap, with the aid of a nail-brush. With a fresh piece of wood, rub the
ground with pumice-powder and oil until the surface is perfectly smooth
and without a trace of cut or mark of any kind; wash once more, then
apply the final polish. Take a fresh bit of wood, and mix on a plate as
much dust of Rotten-Stone as will lie on a shilling, with a few drops
of Sulphuric Acid, forming a yellow paste. Rub a small portion of the
ground at a time, and remove the paste while still wet; if the paste is
allowed to dry, it destroys the texture of the ground. After the ground
has been gone over, rinse the Cameo in cold water. To remove the shell
from the Stick, cut away the cement from the edge, then hold the Stick
upright against the edge of a table, and give it a smart rap with a
small hammer; the Cameo will slip off the top unhurt.



Sharpening the Tools.


The Cameo-worker should always have a small oilstone at hand, and a
few rapid strokes will restore the fine cutting edge of his tool,
but the tool must be held the reverse way of working when applied to
the oilstone. Hold the tool with the cutting edge downwards on the
oilstone, at the same angle as a pen is held for writing, and move
rapidly to and fro five or six times; this will restore the edge
immediately.



Cost of Appliances.


Holdfast or Clip, from 6d. to 2s. 6d.; four Rounded and two Flat
Scawpers, 1s. 6d.; one Spit-sticker, 3d.; one File, 3d.; Cake of
Cement, 1d.; Broom-handle, 2d.; one dozen pieces of Shell, various
sizes, 5s.; Oilstone, 1s. to 2s.

If the cost of the tools is compared with the expenditure necessary
on many occupations to which thousands devote their talents in spare
hours, it will be admitted that Cameo-cutting carries the palm for
cheapness. When it is further considered that this may be resorted
to for an hour at any time, and does not involve the use of any
machinery for its pursuit, nor the exclusive possession of any special
table; while it is absolutely free from any dirt or dust injurious to
furniture, to the carpet, or to the dress; that it is not trying to the
sight, and not attended with risk to the hands, it must be apparent
that in Cameo-cutting an occupation is presented which has undoubted
claims to consideration. All who engage in the art become fascinated
by the results which are obtained. Children of tender years quickly
become absorbed in the work, which not only trains the eye and the
hand, but elevates and corrects the taste. To what more pleasant use
could a child put the knowledge it has gained at school? But it is not
principally as an occupation for children that Cameo-cutting should
be considered. Between the simple forms which a child may cut and the
classic groups, such as abound, there is scope for the exercise of
every degree of talent. There are artists in Cameo now in Rome and
Paris whose touches are readily identified whatever they treat, in the
same way that the strokes of a famous sculptor are recognised.



Decline in the Fashion of Wearing Cameos.


There were two principal causes for the decline of fashion in the
wearing of Cameos in England. The first arose from paucity of designs;
and the second from the bad workmanship engendered by overwhelming
orders being thrust upon a market in which only a limited number
of operatives were engaged. With regard to the first cause, modern
Cameo-cutters found no other models than those which had been handed
down from the times of the ancient workers in gems. The cutters were
copyists merely, not true artists, and modern taste was not satisfied
with the representation of classic deities, however daintily wrought.
There was no variety in the pose of figure, and the minutest detail was
settled one or two thousand years before. Thus Apollo, Diana, Jupiter,
Mercury, Sappho, and Venus were represented in precisely the same
manner they had been a thousand times before, and the Cameo worn by a
noble lady only differed in the quality of execution from that worn by
a greengrocer’s daughter.

How the sudden demand for Cameos arose it is difficult to say, but
orders were poured into Paris houses, and the little colony of Italian
and French workers found themselves unexpectedly flooded with wealth.
They were men possessed of most skilful hands, but very ignorant and
untutored economists, and they worked hard for a portion of the week
only, and too often shut themselves up in low wine-houses, and with
cards and dominoes whiled away their time. Their wages were soon
exhausted by drink and gambling; and when masters wanted workmen, they
had first to settle the scores they had run up, for the payment of
which the landlords detained them. The natural result followed, the
quality of work deteriorated, and prices fell considerably; then houses
undersold each other, and Cameos were cut at per dozen instead of per
piece. When the Franco-German war commenced the Cameo trade was at
its lowest point, and the outbreak of hostilities dispersed the major
number of the workers.

Now that the Cameo is again coming into favour, there has been produced
an imitation in some hard vitreous substance, which is constantly
palmed off as the genuine article to careless purchasers. I bought two
of these imitation Cameos in a jeweller’s shop for a few pence one
day; they were both mounted and pinned for brooches. One, which was
an imitation stone Cameo, bore Raphael’s angels--those lovely little
figures which appear at the foot of the “Madonna and Infant Christ”
now in Dresden. This measures one by one and a half inches. The other
was an oval, measuring one and a half by one and three-quarter inches,
bearing the head of Ceres, and was an imitation shell Cameo. In this
piece the ground was coloured yellow, and in exact imitation of a real
piece of shell, the colour increased in depth of shading from the face
to the back of the head. The face only was white, and the ornaments
about the hair, three ears of corn, five roses, five forget-me-nots,
tress on the neck, and necklet of pearls were in exact imitation of
the well-known face. I have seen cards on which half-a-dozen “Real
Roman Cameos” were mounted exhibited in shop windows, and the price
asked was 2s. 6d. each. These scandalous imitations of lovely ornaments
will only be superseded when English workers send into the market the
genuine articles.



Cameo-Cutting Highly Recommended.


The question of the pursuit of Cameo-cutting as an industrial
occupation for ladies was probably first suggested by Mrs. Henry
Mackarness, the well-known authoress of “A Trap to Catch a Sunbeam,”
who strongly recommended the art of Cameo-cutting in shell to the
notice of ladies. In an admirable work entitled “The Young Lady’s
Book,” published in 1876, she thus speaks of the work:--

“It is sufficiently simple to be within the scope of many who possess
taste, patience, and deft fingers.... It cannot be acquired without
some instruction, and considerable perseverance; but the instruction
is within reach, and the perseverance will be amply repaid by the
results.” This Cameo-cutting will “give young ladies a new and elegant
pursuit.” It will “raise their thoughts from knitting and netting, and
cultivate a taste for higher pursuits.... It can be practised with
half-a-dozen small tools that take up scarcely any room; and, with a
little care and instruction, the art can be readily acquired. Some
knowledge of figure-drawing is necessary, and a correct eye; and it is
needless to say that the more skilful the artist in this respect, the
better her Cameo-work is likely to be.” The _Queen_ was the first paper
to devote a special illustrated supplement to the question.

The _Lady_, the _Jewish World_, the _Housewife_, the _Manchester
Courier_, and other papers as widely separated in their pursuits
and politics, have urged the consideration of this work upon public
attention.

“In the _Society of Arts Journal_, eighteen months ago”--we quote from
the _Jewish World_--“a paper read by Mr. Marsh before that Society was
published at length, and copied into journals far and near. Almost at
once the work was tried by ladies who had a knowledge of modelling
and of wood-carving, and the results obtained furnish the highest
possible expectation that in the near future this fascinating art
will find a home amongst the ladies of England. There is no machinery
required; no dust or dirt is created; there is no risk of soiling
dress or carpet; and it is not at all trying to the sight; while the
prospects of remuneration are of the brightest possible character.
There are an enormous number of Cameos worn as pins, brooches,
ear-rings, finger-rings; and the uses to which the Cameo could be
put are infinite--as, for instance, for buttons, or for insetting
into book-covers, or for wall ornaments. The old fashion was to wear
vulgarly large brooches, with heads of abnormal size, so as to show
as much ornamentation as possible; but the new fashion is to make
them small, and to cut modern figures, rejecting those classic heads
associated at times with most questionable stories. Why ever should
ladies run after the face of Venus or Juno? Is there not as much beauty
and infinitely more poetry to be got out of the faces of Rebekah or
Ruth? Why should men wear Jupiter or Apollo in preference to Moses
or David? Surely all that art can ever impart would fail to exhaust
the tenderness or the grandeur that could be embodied in one of these
faces.”

Mrs. Macfarlane, writing in the _Housewife_, September 1888, said:--“It
is now suggested that the industry be taken up in England, as a
remunerative employment for women whose artistic knowledge already
embraces some idea of drawing and modelling, and who do not feel
inclined to enter the ranks of those who paint well or indifferently,
those little knicknackeries which it is felt have almost had their
day, at least as far as substantial commercial value is concerned.
Cameo-cutting, in this country, bears the charm of novelty, is easy
to learn, is adaptable to many uses, and in no way encroaches upon
existing national labour. Cameos representing scenes from the classics
have before now been introduced into cabinets or boxes, to beautify and
make them more valuable; they may, moreover, be used in embellishing
books and albums. One exquisitely carved Cameo was shown to me the
other day which represented the face of Christ, and was to be set in
the cover of a devotional book, where I am sure it would look most
beautiful. Then Cameos may be set in frames to hold photographs on the
table, or be inserted in the backs of chairs, instead of the painted
scenes or sprays of flowers which were so fashionable a year or two
ago. Ladies’ and gentlemen’s trinkets and apparel open out a wide
field for Cameo-work; brooches, ear-rings, breast-pins, studs, links,
and finger-rings, are very commonly carved in Italy, but are often
made too large for use. Executed finely on small pieces of shell, they
might be rendered more acceptable and pretty. A special idea which has
been proposed is, that sets of buttons be made of Cameos for coats,
yachting, boating, or other garments. Designers who could hit upon
some new idea, and carry it out for themselves, might do a good deal
in these and divers other ways connected with dress. Cloak-clasps,
umbrella and sunshade knobs, fan handles, dressing-cases, hand-glasses,
brush-backs, glove and handkerchief boxes can be made uncommon and
beautiful by its application.

“Another range in which the art would flourish is church decoration,
for which Cameos are peculiarly appropriate. There is a purity and, at
the same time, a durability about them, which commends their use in
this direction. How beautiful, for instance, a frieze of palm-leaves
would look upon a reredos, or a carved lily upon a memorial stone, or
how appropriately a pulpit might be decorated in Cameo! As I write,
ideas for church adornment crowed into my mind, but as I have not yet
exhausted the resources of Cameo-cutting in another direction, I must
leave my readers to imagine these for themselves.”



Derivation of the Word “Cameo.”


Much curious interest has been excited with respect to the derivation
of the word Cameo, and the fact is curious that in that splendid
repertory of all things rare, curious, and of interest, “Notes and
Queries,” the only references to the Cameo are two in number. One is
a question propounded in vol. viii., series iv., page 528, in which a
correspondent puts the query, which was never answered, “What is the
earliest known example of a shell Cameo?” The second reference occurs
in vol. iii., series v., in which the derivation of Cameos is inquired
for, and the answer appears in vol. iii., on page 31. Here Mr. F.
Chance, Sydenham Hall, after learnedly discussing derivations from the
Greek, Italian, Latin, German, and Spanish, winds up by saying with
Dundreary, that Cameo is one of those words which “no fellow can make
out.”

“The meaning of the word Cameo,” says a writer in the _Housewife_,
“is literally a picture of one colour. In an ancient dictionary of
arts and sciences, more than a hundred years old, which I have before
me, the word is thus spelt and explained:--‘Camaieu or Camehuia, in
Natural History, the same with camæa.’ I look up ‘camæa,’ and find
the word descanted upon as follows:--‘In Natural History, a genus
of the semi-pellucid gems, approaching to the onyx structure, being
composed of zones, and formed on a crystalline basis; but having their
zones very broad and thick, and laid alternately on one another, with
no common matter between; usually less transparent and more debased
with earth than the onyxes.’ Species are then described which I need
not detail. Returning next to the camaieu, I find:--‘This word is
also used to express a stone, on which are found various figures
and representations of “landskips,” &c., formed by a kind of _lusus
naturæ_, so as to exhibit pictures without painting. It is likewise
applied to any kind of gem on which figures are engraven, either
indentedly or in relievo.’”

The _Queen_ newspaper referred also to the derivation of the term, and
added the following bit of historical research:--

“The term Cameo, in the language of art, is usually applied to
gems or stones that are worked in relievo, that is, in which the
object represented is raised above the plane of the ground, in
contradistinction to intaglio, in which the subject is engraved
or indented. The art of ornamenting precious stones with heads and
figures is of high antiquity, but it was for the most part confined to
intaglio or indenting, an easier process than relieving the work from
a ground. Such stones were used for signets or seals in very remote
ages by the Etruscans and the Greeks. One of the first names of great
note that occurs in this branch of art is that of Pyrgoteles, who lived
in the time of Alexander the Great, and who alone was permitted to
engrave seal rings for the King. Tryphon, who lived under the immediate
successors of Alexander, also deserves mention here, being the author
of a beautiful and well-known Cameo in the Marlborough collection,
representing the marriage of Cupid and Psyche.

“In ancient Rome the age of Augustus was remarkable for the excellence
of the gem-engravers who were then living, amongst them Dioscorides,
some of whose beautiful works have reached our times. Engravers in
gems, both in cameo and intaglio, continued to flourish down to Marcus
Aurelius. With the decline of the Roman Empire, gem-engraving was
neglected, like the other arts, and it was not till the fifteenth
century that the taste and munificence of the Medici caused a revival
in Italy, and tempted artists to devote themselves to its practice.
Cameos at that time were in great request for personal ornaments, and
for inlaying or embossing vases and similar articles. Cameo collecting
became a passion in Italy, and the gem-engravers of that period found
special historians in Vasari and Marietti. In the succeeding century
there was a considerable falling off, but in the eighteenth century
the art again rose, and the names of some who exercised it will bear
comparison with those of almost any age. The greater part of these
were Italians; but two of the most celebrated, John Pichler and
Laurence Natter, were natives of Germany, and their works challenge
competition with the finest antiques. In England it was Josiah Wedgwood
who revived the taste for Cameo-work by his admirable reproduction
of the Barberini Vase, his unsurpassed portrait medallions, and his
classical bas-reliefs on plaques, vases, and tea-sets, placed in
beautifully tinted jasper, basalt, and other bodies. James Tassie of
Glasgow, by his paste imitations of antique gems, 15,000 in number,
also contributed to the popularity of Cameo-work; while W. Brown and
Nathanael Marchand were famous as gem-engravers at the beginning of
the present century. Marchand died in 1812 as a member of the Royal
Academy, and principal gem-engraver to the King. The practice of
working Cameo on shells is of comparatively modern introduction in
Italy, and is carried on particularly in Rome.”



A Teacher at Work.


A very widespread interest arose in consequence of the article
published in the Journal of the Society of Arts; correspondents in
all parts of the United Kingdom wrote asking questions, and several
came from far-distant parts to take a lesson. In the neighbourhood of
London, heads of technical colleges took up the question in a practical
form, and at several teaching is now imparted to such pupils as exhibit
an aptitude for drawing and modelling. The results already achieved
are highly satisfactory, and the work done by pupils has been publicly
exhibited on several occasions. A few practical lessons are, of course,
of greater value than learning by correspondence or from a book; yet,
notwithstanding the difficulty of beginning to cut without a teacher,
many are now producing admirable work, though they have had no other
instruction than that contained in the Journal of the Society of Arts.

At first, and for a long time after my paper was read at the Society
of Arts, I was placed in a great difficulty by correspondents
writing for tools, for shells, and for a teacher. Special tools are
now manufactured by Mr. Buck, and a teacher was at length strongly
recommended by Mr. John Ford, himself an accomplished Cameo engraver,
of the firm of Ford & Wright, diamond polishers, Clerkenwell Green.
The gentleman in question was Signor Giovanni,[3] now of London, who
obtained great celebrity in Naples and Rome as an engraver of Cameos,
and who, while still at the head of his profession, has laboured to
restore the almost lost art of engraving on glass. After the work of
six years, he completed the ornamentation of a drinking-cup of pure
flint crystal, the subject being the training of young Bacchus. For
his triumph in this department of art King Humbert I. bestowed upon
him the dignity of a Cavaliere of the Crown of Italy. His designs
are full of grace and originality; and the future Cameo engravers of
England will be greatly indebted to him for the skill with which he has
facilitated their acquiring the art. In the course of interviews with
Signor Giovanni, I represented to him how very difficult it was for any
to perfect themselves in the work without models, and at my entreaty
he was good enough to model, mould, and cast a series of examples in
plaster of Paris, with the aid of which, though the teacher may not be
near, the chief difficulties a learner has to encounter may be easily
overcome. These models embrace the anatomical head and neck, the eye,
nose and mouth, and chin; fancy heads, portraits, Cupids, classic
heads, plants, flowers, fish, and animals. There are twenty-four in
the whole series, and they can be had in sets of six, the dozen, or the
whole.

    [3] Signor Giovanni has taught with great success at the
        High School, Cecile House, Crouch End, London; and the
        principal, Miss E. Rowland, kindly permits references to
        her, by those desirous of taking lessons, or obtaining
        materials for the work.

Signor Giovanni’s method of teaching is first of all to get his
pupils to carve an ornament upon a piece of Lava. Selected pieces may
be purchased at 4d. per lb., and they make an admirable medium for
learning to carve. Then afterwards a piece of shell is taken and the
figure is cut in Cameo.

The only English workman who is at present engaged in the work of
Cameo engraving is Mr. William King, who learned the art in his
apprenticeship to Messrs. Francati & Santamaria. He is spoken of by the
members of that firm as being equal to any Roman workman.



Lessons by Correspondence.


If the distance from London is too great for a pupil to come to town,
the “roughed” Cameo can be sent to Signor Giovanni by post. He then
makes a mould, and produces a cast; this he corrects and returns, so
that the pupil can alter and improve the Cameo without the intervention
of a foreign hand.

In order to produce a Mould from which to take casts, first lightly oil
the surface of the Cameo, place around a cardboard funnel, which can be
held in place by an indiarubber band. The plaster of Paris used must
be “extra fine;” that most suitable is called “Scagliola,” and may
be purchased at any oil-shop at 6d. a bag containing a few lbs. Mix a
small quantity with water, and pour upon the face of the Cameo. When
dry, paint the Mould with French polish until a gloss appears upon the
surface. When the Mould is perfectly dry, apply oil to the surface,
then pour in plaster of Paris. As many impressions may be taken in this
way as are desired without injury to the Mould.



Is there a Market?


I have been frequently asked, “Can I find a market for my Cameos
if I learn to cut them?” No one ever put such a question to the
drawing-master or to the music-teacher when beginning lessons. But of
this new profession the answer is undoubted. As soon as Cameos may be
had of better designs than those in the market, purchasers will be
found for them. If there is a doubt in the mind of any one on this
point, look at the ornaments worn by those one meets in the course of
a brief walk through the principal streets of London. I venture to say
that difficulty would be found in counting the ear-rings, brooches,
pins, and bracelets of Cameo which one sees; nor would any one, if
trained in art, approve, in the majority of instances, of the size or
design of the Cameos worn.

The taste was formerly to get the largest possible piece of shell,
and cut a head about three times the normal size, in order to
provide for the greatest amount of ornamentation, with ears of corn
or bunches of grapes. A Greek face was often conjoined with Roman or
Egyptian ornaments. What, to modern England, is the story of Venus or
Cupid, or the beauty of Cleopatra? Are there not a thousand stories
in the history of our own land of reputable queens more worthy of
illustration? Are the faces of our poets, dramatists, and men of
science, letters, and art of less account than the faces of Apollo,
Bacchus, or Pericles? Putting aside the historical gallery, are there
not amongst the circle of our relatives and friends, faces dear beyond
all comparison with those of Hebe or of Neptune?

Take another field of labour, that of flowers. We have all studied
their language, and know what is meant by the gift of a rose, a lily,
or a forget-me-not. But the flower fades all too quickly for the
expression of the feeling which love conveys; how much more beautiful,
then, is the gift of a flower wrought by the hand of a loved one--a
flower that will never fade!

Fashion is ever introducing new adaptations of ornament to dress.
Note the two or three buttons with which a lady’s loose jacket is now
fastened on the left. Why not carve these in Cameo, a dainty design in
white on a purple or red or brown background, glowing like a precious
stone? These would look beautiful!

The uses to which the Cameo may be put are innumerable, and in what I
have said I have confined myself to those of personal adornment only,
leaving out altogether the hundred and one purposes of ornamentation
about the house, the table, or the drawing-room.



Designs.


The following pages contain a miscellaneous collection of designs
suitable for a great variety of uses, more suggestive than exhaustive
in their character and scope. They will be found useful for practice,
but the artist will soon find subjects better adapted to the degree of
skill attained. A large number are from the plaster casts modelled by
Signor Giovanni.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration]



Transcriber’s Notes


Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a
predominant preference was found in the original book; otherwise they
were not changed.

Simple typographical errors were corrected.

Illustrations in this eBook have been positioned between paragraphs
and outside quotations.



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