Show Stable Artisans: In The Spotlight

The Official Blog of the Equestrian Jeweler

  • Home
  • About Show Stable Artisans
  • Visit EquestrianJewelry.com
You are here: Home / Featured / Cameo Horse Jewelry

Cameo Horse Jewelry

July 10, 2012 by Alison Greene

Cameo jewelry has a long and proud history. Researchers have discovered examples of this finely carved jewelry dating back to the third century BC. Talk about a jewelry trend that lasts!

People have often asked us, “What does cameo mean?” Many people think that the term cameo refers to a certain type of stone or gem, but this is not the case.  Cameo actually means “an image carved in positive” – if an image appears beneath, engraved into a surface, it is known as an intaglio – and many different types of material can be used. Stone and shell are the most common.

One particularly popular type of cameo is the cornelian shell cameo. You can see a great example in the picture to the right. This large cameo pin/pendant is a 1 3/4″ X 1 1/2″ silver banded beauty that features two finely rendered white bridled horses. Hand carved in southern Italy by Balzano and authenticated by Gennaro Borriello, this is an exquisite example of cameo horse jewelry. It’s important to understand that the majority of cameos feature images of people, often classic figures from antiquity. Finding horse cameo jewelry is a rare delight.

We mentioned that this horse cameo pin is made of cornelian shell. This makes it one of the most traditional types of cameo. Ever since ancient days, East Africans have gathered Bullmouth Helmet snail shells from the sandy ocean shores. These shells are cleaned and sent to Italy, where the most skilled craftsman do the painstakingly precise carving you see here.

For lovers of fine horse jewelry, it is wonderful to have a cameo horse pendant that connects so closely with one of the world’s richest jewelry traditions. Did you know that Julius Caesar once presented Cleopatra, the love of his life, with a cameo shell as a token of his affection? Certainly your love of horses deserves no less a tribute!

Filed Under: Featured, pins Tagged With: cameo horse jewelry, cameo horse pendant, cameo horse pin, horse pin

About Alison Greene

Show Stable Artisans, The Equestrian Jeweler, was started in 1994 by 2 friends who had a passion for horses and jewelry- and who wanted to share the passion with others. They sought out the best artisans who created the finest pieces of equestrian jewelry -beautiful and keepsake pieces that reflected the equestrian lifestyle.

We chose the name for our blog for 2 reasons. The first reason is because we hope to “spotlight” the relevant trends, horse jewelry and information that will be of interest to you. The second reason we chose the name is to honor the most wonderful horse I have ever had- In the Spotlight, the chestnut horse pictured throughout this blog. She was an unbelievable show horse, a loving companion and my horse of a lifetime!

Follow Us!

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on Google+Follow Us on TwitterFollow Us on Pinterest

Sterling Silver Prancing Horse Pendant. Our very popular horse pendant is a wonderful way to express passion for the horse. This graceful stylized piece is a perfect gift for the horse lover. Proudly made in the USA! Retails with the chain at $248.00. See item #HRSC0326 on our website for more details. Contest ends Sep 15, 2018. Good luck to everyone!

Blog Categories

Copyright 2010 - All rights reserved - Showstable Artisans - Web Design MediaRight Technologies