Apsley Pellatt (1791-1863)

10. A Cameo Medallion Depicting Kamehameha II, circa 1824

Sulphide

8 cm (3 ¹/₈ inches)

£3,500

Stringer collection no. 1866
Private collection, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

A rare early 19th century sulphide cameo medallion depicting Kamehameha II; the second king of the Kingdom of Hawaii, attributed to Apsley Pellatt, circa 1824, unsigned, set in contemporary gilt metal frame, collection label to reverse for the "Stringer Collection" and numbered 1866, handwritten label to reverse.

King Kamehameha 11 (c. 1797 - July 14, 1824) visited England in 1824 with his wife Queen Kamamalu to meet George IV and foster greater diplomatic ties. Sadly he, and his royal entourage, succumbed to measles and he died on July 14, 1824. Apsley Pellatt (1791-1863) had taken out his first patent for the manufacture of cameo sulfides, or as he termed them "Crystallo-Ceramie·" in 1819. Whilst this cameo is unsigned, an almost identical sulphide by Pellatt depicting the King can be found in the Honolulu Museum of Art.
 

Apsley Pellatt (1791-1863)