Carved cameos enjoyed immense popularity as earrings in 19th-century jewelry, particularly during the Victorian era when portable portraiture, symbolism, and historical revivalism were highly prized. Cameos—raised relief carvings, often depicting classical, mythological, or romanticized subjects—were traditionally crafted from hardstones like agate or carnelian, but in the early 19th century, artisans began favoring shells due to their softness and ease of carving, helping democratize cameo jewe