Art Nouveau Antique Hand-Carved Shell Cameo 9 CT Gold Lady Bust Brooch Double-Use Necklace with Christmas Gift Box

When it comes to shell cameos, the most striking are the brooches featuring profile portraits of women that were popular in the Victorian era of the 19th century. These were essential jewelry for aristocratic ladies of the time, typically pinned to the center of the collar on high-necked blouses, in line with the fashion of the era. In France, Napoleon gifted Empress Josephine a magnificent shell cameo crown. The legendary love story between Empress Josephine and Napoleon is widely known, and this crown was imbued with Napoleon's deep affection for Josephine. Through subsequent royal marriages, this piece has been preserved by the Swedish royal family to this day. A brooch, also known as a breastflower, is a piece of jewelry fastened to clothing with a clasp, or it can be considered a decorative pin. They are generally made of metal, often inlaid with gemstones, enamel, and other materials. They can serve purely as decoration or also function to secure clothing (such as robes, capes, scarves, etc.). The history of brooches can be traced back to the Bronze Age, and the variations in their forms can assist in dating artifacts in archaeology. Contemporary brooches are generally worn by women and can be pinned to the chest, or worn on the shoulder, hat, or in the hair. As brooches are a relatively large form of jewelry, they offer great design freedom and are easier to wear to attract attention. The design of brooches integrates various customs, sentiments, and fashion elements. Common forms we see include orchid shapes, diamond ring shapes, oval, fan, butterfly, musical instrument, floral and leaf, ingot, animal, leaf, human figure, and abstract symbol types.