A cameo is a portrait or scene carved in relief with a contrasting colored background.  Although cameos were made from many different materials including gemstones, stone, and sometimes coral, a lot of designers liked to make cameos from shells because they were easier to carve.  More people were also able to purchase cameos at the time obviously because the cameos made of shells were of course less expensive than those made of gemstones.

The most prized procession for a woman of the Victorian Era however was a cameo made in her likeness.  As such, portrait cameos became very popular.  However, earlier cameos from the period showcased women in plain attire and later in the period, at the insistence of women of the period, designers started making the portraits of women better finely dressed and jeweled.  Prized examples of cameos from the Victorian Era especially the later ones that are more intricately designed and carved can bring in thousands of dollars.