Here at Beverley R antique jewelry, among our selection of cameos, have a particularly interesting 'Gryllis' ring, which is a carving of three heads going into one.
Intaglios jewelry initially had a practical purpose, in that the carvings were family crests, and since this was a time when letters and scrolls were sealed by wax, the intaglio seals were then pressed into the hot wax to show either ownership or letting people know who the sender was. These seals were either set in antique rings or fobs. As time went by the carving on the seals followed the subjects of cameos, with profiles and scenes from mythology. Some of the best known carvers of antique intaglio jewelry were Nathaniel Marchant, Edward Burch, Giovanni Pichler and his half brother Luigi.
