This fly stickpin was likely made as a novelty or visual trick—and it works. When worn, it genuinely looks like a fly has landed on your clothing. The piece features a realistically sculpted body, textured celluloid wings, and moveable legs, all designed to mimic the unsettling realism of an actual insect. The celluloid wings, fragile by nature, have somehow lasted over a century. Sized exactly like a real fly, it's a small, weird, and cleverly made curiosity.
thedetails
- Materials
steel, metallic paint, celluloid, 10k gold pin, brass fastener
- Age
c. 1900
- Condition
Very good - minor surface wear commensurate with age and use; fastener is of the same period but isn't original to the pin
- Size
2 3/8" total length, 1/2" x 3/8" fly
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Aboutthe
EdwardianEra
1900 — 1910
The jewelry tended toward airy lightness, often in the form of lacy filigree. The world was changing rapidly, but lots of the jewelry still reflected the Victorian ideals of decorum and femininity. Ancient Roman and Greek influences remained popular. “White” jewelry became popular as plentiful deposits of platinum were discovered in Russia and improved smelting technology made it possible for jewelers to work in the noble metal. Platinum was seldom used by jewelers in earlier years owing both to its scarcity and high melting point. The jewelry trade took advantage of its rigid strength to create opulent openwork settings for increasingly brilliant diamonds. The old European cut was perfected, rounder and squatter than old mine. This took stone-cutting one step closer to the mathematically perfect round brilliant cut, which is the most popular diamond cut today. The now-iconic square Asscher cut was patented in 1902. Hot on the heels of platinum, the alloy mixture that produces white gold was formulated and patented in 1915 in New York City. With Europe in the grip of WW1, the American jewelry industry was poised to become a world leader and innovator.
please note:Terms of Sale
Antiques can be returned unworn and in original condition within 10 days of delivery for an exchange or refund minus the cost of shipping. Once a piece has been altered, including ring re-sizing, it is FINAL SALE.