Engraved Gems & Cameos

For the collector of engraved gems, the image is only the beginning. Material, cutting, iconography and collecting history all shape the reading of an intaglio. ÆON’s present selection brings Roman and Etruscan stones into dialogue with a neoclassical glass paste example, each encountered through its particular mounting and history. Rings, cufflinks, a bracelet and a brooch reveal how engraved images have been preserved and worn across periods. Documented provenance and published references inform individual entries, while the distinction between ancient gem and later setting remains explicit.