Well she's very pretty - from my own collection - hand carved carnelian shell probably Italian but hard to tell really. Most are Italian. I always look at the nose and hair. Her hair is very pretty and not overwhelming. Her nose is lovely and her face is very sweet. It's a pin and also can be worn as a pendant necklace. The bail is on a hinge mechanism as shown in the pictures. She measures 1 1/8" long and weighs 5 grams. The shell is very translucent when held to the light. The frame is very ornate - oval shape - only one I have.
My friend Judy just gave me new info on this piece:
The carnelian shell is the most common shell used for cameo carvings. Most carnelian shells are found off of West Africa. They grow rather rapidly and are harvested on a regular basis. Carnelian shells range in color from reddish-brown, to peach, to orange.
