Blue Magic : Art Deco Morpho Butterfly Wing Ring in Sterling Silver by T.L. Mott

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A truly magical example of Art Deco jewellery, by the original inventor of butterfly wing jewellery T.L. Mott of England. Dating to the early 20th Century, circa 1900 – 1920 this piece is modelled in sterling silver and hallmarked to the inside of the band.

The intensity and iridescence of this delightful treasure is absolutely astonishing. The colour is electric from edge to edge -a bright and deep cobalt blue that shimmers as light passes across the surface area of the perfect preserved butterfly wing. This is without doubt one of the finest and earliest examples of butterfly wing jewellery I have ever seen💙💜 and also the only ring I have come across.

Yes, a real honest-to-goodness butterfly wing is responsible for the glorious colour inside this eye-catching statement brooch, in this case from the Morpho butterfly from South and Central America. The Morpho butterflies are among the largest in the world, with a wingspan of 7.5 to 20 cm. The iridescence in their wings is caused by the structure of the wings which create colour through diffraction and interference. It’s a fascinating phenomenon (if you’re interested this page has a good explanation). I can’t help feel that it’s pretty neat that this snippet of butterfly, whose entire life from egg to caterpillar to butterfly is only 115 days should have managed to survive, preserved in silver and crystal, for 90+ years. That’s a pretty good legacy!

Manufacture:
Modelled in sterling silver with a perfect circle of butterfly wing preserved under a crystal dome – the electric colour of this piece is every bit as vibrant as the the day it was made. The ring is an elongated diamond shape, with the butterfly wing dome held in a bezel setting with milgrain detail at the centre. Decorative silver bobbles appear above and below the bezel to delicate effect. Marcasite stones are bead set into the tapering shoulders, with further milgrain detail. An exquisite piece made with care and affection.

The central blue butterfly wing dome has a diameter of 9.5mm. The face of the ring is 18.11 x 12.32mm. The band tapers at the shoulders to a  1.46mm wide and 1.42mm thick sterling silver band. Hallmarked “T.L.M. Sterling England” to the inside of the band.

Size O1/2 or 7.5
not resizable

Please be aware that this ring Must Not Be Immersed In Water. To do so may damage the butterfly wing irreparably.

Condition:
In outstanding antique condition. No sign of damage or discolouration to the butterfly wing. The details remain crisp and original with no signs of repair or resize. There are no chips to the crystal dome and only minor surface wear visible under magnification. A true collectors piece which should appreciate in value as these items become increasingly rare.

You can see a little video of the amazing iridescence in this ring on my Instagram account @secret_histories, or online here.

Description

Era: Art Deco – 1910/1920s

Material: Sterling Silver, Natural Morpho Butterfly Wing, Clear crystal dome.

Size: O1/2 or 7.5
not resizable

Additional information

Era

Art Deco 1910 – 1920

Dimensions

36.8mm diameter, 8mm deep not including the pin
Weighs 15g

Materials

Sterling Silver 925, Natural Morpho Butterfly Wing, Clear solid dome of an early plastic.