Italian Pendant with Angel Cameo, Fashioned As a Pin

An angel with a dove, in pale shell on a peach ground.

This pendant with an angel cameo, fashioned as a pin, comes from Italy and is made of gold and shell. Shell cameos are a long-standing Italian craft, and cherubs and angels are among the common subjects. A winged child sits on a rocky ledge and cradles a small bird against its chest, carved in cream against a warm orange-pink shell. The frame is plain yellow gold, with a loop at the top, and a small signature appears at the lower edge.

About two inches across. Sentimental in the best way, and small enough to be a secret.