Please help ID French maker's mark on brooch

[cgonzalez100]

I have a beautiful French cameo brooch with eagle head hallmark for 18K gold. I cannot identify the maker's mark on the clasp. I know this part of the forum is for French silversmiths, but I was wondering if anyone might know the mark on the brooch as sometimes makers would work in silver and gold metals. I cannot see the first initial, but the second initial is the letter S, the symbol appears to be two sets of arrows or nails interlaced. I would greatly appreciate your help. Thank you

[blakstone]

Charles-Jacob Schaeffer

Born: 22 Nov 1806, Paris, son of Jean Jacob Schaeffer & Marie Anne Charlotte Lendre
Married 1st: 2 Jul 1833, to Appoline Celestine Challot
Married 2nd: 2 Oct 1841, to Justine Eliza Grunder
Died: 6 Feb 1888, Deuil-la-Barre,Val d’Oise

His mark – CS with four arrows creating a lozenge – was registered on 38 Apr 1835 at 5 rue Sartine as a maker of “la fantaisie” (novelites, esstially), renewed 24 Feb 1847 at 27-29 rue Montorgueil as a bijoutier, and cancelled on 11 Feb 1864. He he was elected mayor Deuil-la-Barre, a suburb of Paris, in 1861, in which capacity he served until his death.

Hope this helps! (That's a lovely cameo, btw!)

Ref: Arminjon I, no. 00818

[cgonzalez100]

Thank you so much Blakstone. I greatly appreciate this information. What a lovely history on the maker. It's very lovely, the carving is just so fine but the gold mount is especially wonderful.
Have a great weekend. Thank you again!

[Aguest]

The black background behind the white cameo, I assume that is either ebony (wood) or jet (fossilized wood), but I really am not sure how the goldsmith achieved the black color on the frame of the 18K gold mounting, is that some sort of black enamel technique? ::: Are those tiny pieces of jet inlaid along the sides there? ::: It seems much higher quality than just black paint or black lacquer, but do you think it's black lacquer after all? :::

[blakstone]

This cameo is almost certainly carved from a single piece of onyx: a variety of banded chalcedony. The art of the cameo carver was the ability to create an image in relief from the white layer, leaving the black layer as the background, with the depth of the white layer thinned to provide shadows and shading (as here in the curls and bridge of the nose). Cameos were also carved from other banded hardstone varieties (e.g. sardonyx) and shells. (The term is more loosely used today to refer to any gemstone carving in relief.)

The black threading in the gold is certainly black enamel, which has been used to fill the engraved cells, a technique known as champleve (or, in a thinner and more intricate application, taille d'epargne).

[AG2012]

Hi,
Exactly as described by blakstone (carved layered chalcedony).
Guilloche ( i.e. engraved cells) filled with black vitreous enamel fired at very high temperature. A serious goldsmith would never use lacquer or paint of any kind on 18 K gold.
Regards