We have a winner! The winner of this contest was notified on January 24th and her prize is in the mail.
From the Rialto Bridge in Venice directly to your door anywhere in the world! Eredi Jovon Venice and OG Venice Travel Guide are so excited to offer our readers a chance at winning this gorgeous cameo. The winner of this contest will receive this cameo of the Three Graces by Eredi Jovon Venice, a substantial 30mm, 1.2 inches, hand-carved piece set in sterling silver. It can be worn as a pendent, brooch or used as a very elegant clasp on a pearl necklace.
Cameos are timeless and very nearly priceless jewels. Nevertheless, if one were to purchase this one - handmade in the Veneto - it would cost more than 165 euros. Though that doesn't sound at all unreasonable, it is still exceedingly generous of Eredi Jovon to offer one piece to our readers for free! Follow the instructions at the end of this post to enter the contest.
From the Rialto Bridge in Venice directly to your door anywhere in the world! Eredi Jovon Venice and OG Venice Travel Guide are so excited to offer our readers a chance at winning this gorgeous cameo. The winner of this contest will receive this cameo of the Three Graces by Eredi Jovon Venice, a substantial 30mm, 1.2 inches, hand-carved piece set in sterling silver. It can be worn as a pendent, brooch or used as a very elegant clasp on a pearl necklace.
Cameos are timeless and very nearly priceless jewels. Nevertheless, if one were to purchase this one - handmade in the Veneto - it would cost more than 165 euros. Though that doesn't sound at all unreasonable, it is still exceedingly generous of Eredi Jovon to offer one piece to our readers for free! Follow the instructions at the end of this post to enter the contest.
Who is Eredi Jovon Venice?
Eredi Jovon Venice is a Venetian jewelry store currently operated by the third generation of the Jovon family, all experts in the art of hand-carving stone and shell cameos and corals. Since 1934, the Jovon family has occupied their shop on the Rialto bridge in Venice and, from there, provided their handmade and custom jewels to collectors from around the world. Their shop is a well-known destination for high quality hand-made cameos in Venice and is the only shop in Venice that sells locally produced cameos. Yet, even in the bustle of Venice today, and with the renown their work has received, you will still meet the Jovon family - Marco, Alessio and Gabriella - in person at their shop at Rialto. There, you'll be invited to view some of their most famous pieces and to learn about the art of carving cameos and how it was passed down through this family of gifted artisans. The Jovons have a deep love and passion for their art and this is conveyed through their beautiful work.
What is A Cameo?
The Eredi Jovon definition of a Cameo is: "A cameo is a piece of art, a part of Italian history, something for life, something that you can use, but also something that shows your taste for elegance and grace". Most readers will agree that cameos are timeless jewels that never go out of style. We cherish the pieces we inherit and admire those newly created. They make moving and sentimental gifts of delicate and intricate craftsmanship that tell stories of families, histories and societies. So many details in such a tiny space! But what are cameos made of and where do they come from?
A cameo is a relief image, often quite small but highly detailed, carved into multi-layered stone, sea shells, gems, coral, or even glass. The difference in color between the background and the foreground of a cameo is the result of carving these multi-layered materials to both create the image and also reveal the different colored layer of material underneath. This creates a natural contrast and enhances the image itself.
Italy has been the epicenter of this art since time immemorial. The Portland Vase in the British Museum is among the oldest surviving ancient Roman glass cameo pieces. The "State Cameos" of the Roman Emperor Augustus and his family and court are among the most ancient and famous cameos in the world. Meanwhile, it is rumored that renaissance Pope Paul II, an avid cameo collector, caught his death of cold due to bedecking his fingers with too many cameos and stones. Cameos came into vogue throughout Europe during the Elizabethan period of the late 1500's when visitors began bringing them north after visits to Italy. But, they lost none of their luxury standing. Napoleon wore a cameo to his wedding and presented Empress Josephine with a cameo and pearl tiara which is currently in the possession of the royal family of Sweden and was worn by Crown Princess Victoria to her wedding in 2010.
A cameo is a relief image, often quite small but highly detailed, carved into multi-layered stone, sea shells, gems, coral, or even glass. The difference in color between the background and the foreground of a cameo is the result of carving these multi-layered materials to both create the image and also reveal the different colored layer of material underneath. This creates a natural contrast and enhances the image itself.
Italy has been the epicenter of this art since time immemorial. The Portland Vase in the British Museum is among the oldest surviving ancient Roman glass cameo pieces. The "State Cameos" of the Roman Emperor Augustus and his family and court are among the most ancient and famous cameos in the world. Meanwhile, it is rumored that renaissance Pope Paul II, an avid cameo collector, caught his death of cold due to bedecking his fingers with too many cameos and stones. Cameos came into vogue throughout Europe during the Elizabethan period of the late 1500's when visitors began bringing them north after visits to Italy. But, they lost none of their luxury standing. Napoleon wore a cameo to his wedding and presented Empress Josephine with a cameo and pearl tiara which is currently in the possession of the royal family of Sweden and was worn by Crown Princess Victoria to her wedding in 2010.
Cameos Today
Cameo jewels are among the longest-enduring styles of precious jewelry, along with bands of silver and gold. They were originally reserved for royalty, and the exceedingly wealthy, and displayed primarily images of mythological, religious or political figures. It wasn't until the 19th century that cameo's carved according to an individual's likeness became popular. They remained quite expensive for some time, and are still coveted and difficult to get even today.
Many contemporary cameos are machine cut rather than hand-carved. This is even true for authentic cameos of stone and shell. However, personalized cameos, such as portraits, are almost always hand-carved. The costs of retooling a carving machine for only one piece are prohibitively expensive for most producers and customers.
The artists at Eredi Jovon are among very few in the world who make custom hand-carved cameo portraits. And, they do so at quite reasonable prices. Working from photographs or paintings you provide, the Jovons first create a sketch from the image and then hand-carve the image into shell or stone. Your cameo is then set in either silver or gold, to your specifications, and shipped to your home. Or, if you are in town, you can pick it up in the shop! The entire process takes about 6 weeks and in the end you have a precious jewel for yourself and heirloom for your family. You can learn more about this service on their website: www.eredijovon.com.
Many contemporary cameos are machine cut rather than hand-carved. This is even true for authentic cameos of stone and shell. However, personalized cameos, such as portraits, are almost always hand-carved. The costs of retooling a carving machine for only one piece are prohibitively expensive for most producers and customers.
The artists at Eredi Jovon are among very few in the world who make custom hand-carved cameo portraits. And, they do so at quite reasonable prices. Working from photographs or paintings you provide, the Jovons first create a sketch from the image and then hand-carve the image into shell or stone. Your cameo is then set in either silver or gold, to your specifications, and shipped to your home. Or, if you are in town, you can pick it up in the shop! The entire process takes about 6 weeks and in the end you have a precious jewel for yourself and heirloom for your family. You can learn more about this service on their website: www.eredijovon.com.
Win the Three Graces Cameo from Eredi Jovon Venice!
The three graces are the daughters of the Zeus, the king of the Gods, and Eurynome, a water nymph. They are the goddesses of beauty, charm and grace whose purpose in the Greek pantheon is to inspire wisdom, love and creativity in the world. They have indeed inspired artists throughout the ages including Raphael, Botticelli and the Jovon family of jewelers. What better subject for a cameo? And what better charm, or grace, to wear oneself?! Would you like to own this treasure?
To enter the contest, complete all of the steps below:
To enter the contest, complete all of the steps below:
- "Like" the OG Venice Facebook Page HERE.
- "Like" the Eredi Jovon Facebook Page HERE.
- Share this post with the hashtag: #cameofromvenice. (It does not matter if you share publicly or with only certain friends, only that you do share.)
- Provide your email address. The easiest way to do this is to use the contact form below and type "Cameo Contest" in the text box. The winner will be contacted via email.
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Contest Rules: This contest is open from Friday January 16th through Friday January 23rd. (One week only to enter!) Only one entry per person please! Multiple entries will be disqualified. The winner will be chosen at random, using a list randomizer, from among those entrants who have completed all of the steps necessary to enter, and contacted via the email address provided. We will validate that the steps have been followed and contact the winner by Monday, January 26th. NO PURCHASE is necessary from either Eredi Jovon or OG Venice to enter this contest and making a purchase will not improve your chances of winning. The email addresses of entrants will be added to the mailing lists of both OG Venice Travel Guide and Eredi Jovon Venice. We will never share, sell or disclose your contact information and you are free to unsubscribe from these mailing lists at any time. This contest is open to everyone, everywhere in the world. The prize will be mailed to your valid shipping address, shipping & handling included. If the winner does not respond to our email within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen at random.
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