Lot 117
Possibly by James Ronca: A Victorian carved shell cameo
Circa 1860s
Auction: 02 December 2026 from 10:00 GMT
Description
The collet-set circular shell cameo carved to depict a female in profile, purportedly Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyle, unsigned, unmarked; in a fitted period case
Dimensions
Diameter: 3.6cm
Footnote
James Ronca (1826-1910) was a distinguished 19th-century cameo engraver and lapidary, renowned for his finely detailed portrait cameos, with his notable works including carved cameo portraits of Queen Victoria and members of her family.
This cameo is accompanied by an interesting letter, which recounts that the piece was cut by Ranker [sic] for King Edward VII, then Prince of Wales, as part of a commission of a necklace for the then Princess of Wales, later Queen Alexandra, in 1863, the year of their marriage. The letter narrates that the cameo was gifted by the cutter to the author's father, sculptor Thomas Millen, ‘in appreciation of the many kindnesses conferred upon him’. It may be that this piece is a prototype for the final commission.