Nineteenth century jewelry features a swarm of insect designs, and these colorful (and frequently glittering) creatures added an air of charming whimsy to the more stuffy fashions of the period. Although rooted firmly in the camp of novelty fashion, insect jewelry of the era was popularized thanks in part to francophile inclinations. The previous century's French Empire period was a point of fascination for Victorians, specifically an affinity for the house of Bonaparte which featured bees on it's coat of arms. These late Georgian or early Victorian earrings are fashioned in the shape of flies and set with green and pink paste and natural seed pearls.
thedetails
- Materials
silver, 14k gold ear wires (newer), pink and green paste, seed pearls
- Age
c. 1820
- Condition
Very good
- Size
larger pair: 1 1/4" x 9/16", smaller pair: 1" x 1/2"
