What metals are used in these pieces?

The listings show items made from silver, sterling silver, gold, silver gilt, and pewter. These metals form the structural bodies and mounts for the various enamel and gem-set designs. Yellow gold appears in Victorian and later high-value pieces, while silver and sterling silver dominate the 1920s, 1930s, and mid-century items.

How do I identify a Victorian piece?

Victorian examples often utilise heavier gold settings combined with natural gemstones like diamonds, pearls, rubies, and topazes. Forms from this era tend towards realistic depictions of beetles, spiders, and lizards. Later pieces from the 1920s and 1930s frequently employ silver filigree and colourful enamel, shifting the aesthetic towards stylised butterflies and dragonflies.

What is butterfly wing jewellery?

This technique involves placing iridescent Morpho butterfly wings beneath a protective layer of glass or crystal. It creates a shimmering blue or patterned effect on the wings of the brooch. Such pieces are particularly characteristic of the 1920s Art Deco period found in the listings.

How were these brooches worn?

They were pinned to lapels, collars, hats, and heavy fabrics using integrated pin stems or bar mounts. Hatpins served the dual purpose of securing millinery while displaying the insect ornament prominently. Today, collectors wear them similarly on jackets, scarves, and bags, or display them when not in use.

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Insect Brooch Pin

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These insect brooch pin examples combine fine metals with enamel and gemstones, bringing intricate winged and creeping forms to life for everyday wear.