Antique Silver Filigree Butterfly Brooch

This ornate pin is most likely from the 1920s when filigree jewelry was extremely popular (the Art Deco Era).  It is unmarked, but made of 800 or 925 (Sterling) silver and has a rich patina.  It has an very old style "C" clasp, which helps denote its age. 

Filigree jewelry resembles lace and was popular in France in the 1660s through present day worldwide.  The term filigree comes from the latin words "filum" meaning thread and "granum" meaning grain. The process of creating filigree jewelry includes intertwining and bending fine metal wires (threads) to create intricate swirling designs.
 
Feel free to contact me if you are interested in purchasing this piece.  Questions, comments, and additional information are always appreciated.  My online shop on www.rubylane.com is coming soon.

Thank you to the following website(s) for the historical content of this blog post:

Vintage Jewelry Lane. Retrieved 4/15/2011 from http://vintagejewelrylane.com/information/filigreejewelry.htm