April 23, 2024
ANTIQUE KINGFISHER FEATHER "BUTTERFLY" BROOCH - FINE
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Kingfisher Feather Brooch or part of headdress - Delicate Butterfly - 1-3/4 inches across by 1-1/4 inches high. In good condition as you can see from photos....with fine filagree work and very complicated serpentine design. Some losses of feathers w gilt undersurface peeks through. Kingfisher feather jewelry has been popular in China for many centuries, especially in the Ming and Ching dynasties. At first glance, the hair ornaments and brooches may look like turquoise or cloisonné enamel, but it is a natural hueâe¦not from Morpho butterflies from the Amazon but rather, amazing blue feathers from a small bird. The Chinese artistocracy liked the feathers of the water kingfisher (Alcedinidae) and the wood kingfisher (Halcyonidae), often imported from Cambodia. The birds neared extinction. Fortunately for the birds, and collectors interested in scarcity, the art form itself is all but extinct. Intricately made kingfisher adornments were not widely available outside of China. Many museums have small collections, including the Victoria and Albert in London. Coinciding with the Olympic Games in Beijing âe" everyone needs a shiny medal, right? âe" I am offering my small collection of eight shiny gold and blue kingfisher hairpins and brooches/ornaments. I believe all the pieces from the 19 th centuryâe¦perhaps late 1800s or turn of
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