Antique Lava Cameo Brooch in Gilt Rope-Twist Mount | Italy, c.1870

This beautifully carved lava cameo brooch captures the refined elegance of mid-Victorian Grand Tour jewellery.

Likely made in Italy around 1870, it features the profile of a classical lady with flowing hair and laurel wreath, finely detailed in pale volcanic stone.

The cameo is set in a rope-twist mount of richly patinated gilt metal, giving the piece both visual texture and depth.

These lava cameos were popular keepsakes for wealthy travellers visiting Naples and Pompeii, prized for their artisanal craftsmanship and link to antiquity.

A timeless piece with both historic and aesthetic appeal.

Available exclusively at ELTONS, Grays Antique Market, Mayfair, London.

Collector’s Note:

Lava cameo brooches like this one were popular souvenirs of the Grand Tour — worn as intellectual jewellery by 19th-century travellers returning from Italy. This example, with its finely carved classical female profile and original rope-twist mount, is a strong representative of the genre. It reflects the Victorian fascination with antiquity, and its scale and crisp detail make it a particularly desirable piece for collectors of Grand Tour or neoclassical jewellery.