Cameo glass has been around since the Roman era. Created by blowing multiple layers of glass (as many as seven) one over the other. Figures are then carved through the various layers to create an image that rises above the surface of the object. In the world of glasswork, the term cameo usually applies to a carving on a piece that has more than one layer (or color) of glass involved in the design.
In the early years of this craft, it was only the wealthiest of families that could afford even the smallest of pieces bearing cameo glass work. It was so valuable that in the years during Word War Two as London was being bombed, great loads of England’s stocks of cameo glass were carefully packed up and secretly shipped away to Canada for safekeeping.
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A single piece might include etching combined with carving, enameling and engraving
Most cameo articles are based on a thin layer of crystal. There is sometimes a base layer of color applied to the inside of the crystal with another layer laid over the both. This last layer is what is carved to create the cameo work.
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