Offered here is a lovely hand carved shell cameo brooch or pendant that depicts the Goddess Psyche. The carving is good with crisp details. She is pictured with butterfly wings in her hair as well as a butterfly resting on her shoulder. Psyche was the Goddess of the Soul. Butterflies represent change and transformation, making them the perfect symbol for Psyche. The cameo shell has a couple of lines next to the carving that I can't feel. However, many antique cameos have stress lines or hairlines due to their age by origin. Sometimes, these lines are a peculiarity of the shell, and we are talking about a cameo that is more than 130 years old. These stress lines or incipient cracks or very tiny chips don't affect the value unless the cameo is broken or has a large crack. The cameo is secured by an early safety catch and has a handmade hinge, which helps us date it to 1890-1900. A bale is hidden so that you can wear it as a pendant if you choose. The gold-plate has worn off in places, but it still has a nice finish and color. The cameo measures 1.5 in x 1.25 in. Antique Victorian Psyche hand carved shell cameo brooch or pendant.