We were taken to one as part of a guided tour of TIvoli that I had paid for, we were fronted by a friendly man in the biggest piazza in Naples who also took us to one. The "one" being a shop that sells cameos.
The routine is that once you are lured to the shop there will be a table with tools on it that have the appearance of being used. In those shops, trust me, no-one ever soiled their hands on creating, only on taking your money!
They even go so far as to having an old relative sit at a supposed work table.
Both the tout and the supposed artisan will disappear before your eyes as the sales pitch eventuates.
Included in that pitch will be the line that "ours is unique, all the others are manufactured". Crap. Just like the supposed ceramics factory I visited in Turkey, it's all manufactured elsewhere and they all look the same.
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At Least Do This: Having said all of the above, there are some nice pieces and, if you want one, don't let my dissertation spoil your purchase.
Alternative: Since you may feel slightly embarrassed trying to get out of their clutches, try pleading that you're out of money or you have to meet someone down the road or you have to be somewhere else in 5 minutes.
Don't worry, they won't get nasty as you walk out of the shop.