Collections Database

Description:
Gold pin in the shape of a fly with engraved and raised details. The pin was produced either in America or England, although the absence of an assay mark suggests American. Brooches or pins featuring insects were very popular in the middle Victorian period, when an interest in the natural world and classification of its creatures was very high. The brooch is made with a combination of rose and green gold. the C-clasp to fasten the piece to the wearer's clothing is original, as is the clasp's hinge. Lost-wax cast body. The wings and legs, made from extruded wire, were applied after the body was cast.

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+71.110

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.