Check back occasionally as information is updated and expanded. Permission will be given to use the information in jewelry clubs, newsletters, etc. When an object of glass or gemstone has been carved or molded INTO the front side to form a pattern or picture. A process of carving or molding a picture or scene into a transparent glass or gemstone from the back side. Reverse intaglios can be left hollow , filled with colored material, or painted in detail.
Molded cameos are usually glass of one color, two colors, or swirled colors.
While rare, some natural materials might be molded and these include Tortoise shell, amber, horn, rubber, and wood. One indication of molded cameo is a roundness of detail and a lack of sharp and precise lines. Mold marks and ridges, dimpling on the back, and conchoidal chips may be indicators of glass. Shell cameos are carved from one piece of shell. Part of the artistry is the way in which the carver used the layers of color, which, while usually peach or brown with white, it can also include gradations or tints of natural shell color that may be used to emphasize aspects such as hair or flowers.