EARLY 19TH CENTURY

The 'antiquarian' taste for cameos, intaglios and impressions became fashionable during the mid-18th century. Christian Dehn, recorded in Rome from 1740, is credited with the first commercial exploitation of the principle of taking moulds from original gemstones, or from earlier casts, to produce by various stages the raised casts in cameo form which were conventionally used for both intaglio sealstones and for cameos. Amongst the most important English 'Grand Tour' Collections was the 'Beverley' Cameos, formed by Lord Algernon Percy, 1st Earl of Beverley and son of Hugh, 1st Duke of Northumberland in the late 18th and early 19th century (part fo which was sold by Algernon Heber-Percy at Christie's London, 1 November 1990, lots 16-28). Whilst some of his famous purchases were bought from the Duke of Rohan Chabot in the 1790, Beverley may also have turned to the Scottish artist, sculptor and impression-maker James Tassie (d.1799) of Leicester Square. In 1790 Tassie wrote to a patron 'We have moulded all Lord Carliles Cabinet of gems...the whole is about 300 about two thirds are new'. Interestingly the Beverley gems were in similar trays, some of which were stamped by Gillows of Lancaster.