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Lot 5

An opal, diamond and gem-set dragonfly brooch,
circa 1900

25 April 2018, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £6,875 inc. premium

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An opal, diamond and gem-set dragonfly brooch, circa 1900

The wings composed of intricate gold knifewife 'veins' overlaid with carved slices of transparent precious opal, with additional rose-cut diamond decoration on the wings and legs, the eyes with circular-cut rubies, the thorax with a single cushion-shaped diamond and the curving abdomen with circular-cut demantoid garnets, mounted in silver and gold, detachable brooch fitting, width 7.2cm

Footnotes

The dragonfly was a popular motif in Art Nouveau jewellery, its delicate wings usually rendered in colourful plique-a-jour enamels. It is therefore unusual that the wings of this example are in transparent precious opal with a subtle blue and green play of colour that becomes more apparent as the jewel is held over a dark background.

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