Victorian Hermes & Dionysus Cameo Brooch
Victorian shell cameo brooch with something of an unusual subject; a scene from the birth-story of Dionysus; Hermes delivering the baby Dionysus to his aunt Ino. The ancient Greek myths are full of weird and wonderful stories, and the birth of Dionysus does not disappoint. This shell cameo depicts a scene from this tale.
The son of Zeus and Semele, Dionysus was known as "the twice-born". Semele was the daughter of Cadmus, the great hero and founder of Thebes, and Zeus was married to Hera, so really should have known better. When Hera found out about the baby she took her revenge by appearing to the mortal Semele and suggesting that she convince Zeus to reveal his full divine splendour. Zeus begrudgingly agreed, knowing that mortals could not look upon the gods without incinerating, and she perished in a burst of lightning-ignited flame. Dionysus, however, was a god and thus remained unscathed but at only six months old he wasn't ready to enter the world, so Zeus slit open his own thigh and stitched the baby up inside. Three months later Dionysus was born (again) and Zeus instructed Hermes - the divine messenger - to take him to Ino, another of Cadmus's daughters - to be raised out of sight of Hera (which, obviously, didn't end well for Ino whom Hera drove to madness).
The cameo is beautifully carved and set in a simple gold brooch mount with an applied ropetwist border; a subtle nod to ancient pieces recovered during 18th and 19th century excavations in Europe.
Era: Victorian, circa 1880
Size: 4.7cm by 3.9cm
Stones: Bull's Mouth Shell
Marks: Stamped 9CT, WHWLD Maker's Mark
Condition: Great antique condition
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Gemstones are tested by an accredited gemmologist (Cert GA, Gemmological Association of Great Britain).
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[Last updated: September 15th, 2025]
Resizing
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Layaway
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Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved and often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff or scrape is quite normal... it's part of their charm! Everything we present has been checked over by our jeweller and should be good for wear for many years to come (unless otherwise stated) but please remember to treat them with appropriate care and consideration for their age.
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