Apsley Pellatt

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.