Materials
used for cameos
The most usual
materials used for cameos are: shells (cassis
madascariensis, cassis rufa, strombus giga),
lava, coral , ivory and turquoise. |
Cassis Madagascariensis: ca 12 inches. Chestnut brown at bottom,
and perfectly white on the surface for engraving. |
Cassis Rufa: ca 6 inches. Has an interior reddish layer; the
exterior for engraving is pale flesh-colored.
|
Strombus Gigas: ca 11 inches. Its white and pink layers are not
always perfectly distinct from each other; also used for
necklaces and buttons, fished in the Bahamas. |
Cypraea Tigris: ca 2-4 inches. Has seven different layers of
color. In order: tiger brown on the surface. Then
white-yellowish, grey-blue, two tones of purple and finally a
slightly blueish white. Fished in Indo-Pacific. |