The Morpho butterfly, captured in South American rain forests, imparts the lovely sheen found in these collector's items, according to an article by Janet Lawwill in the Spring 2001 issue of Vintage Fashion and Costume Jewelry Newsletter.
The pretty peacock blue butterflies were captured by South American natives and sold to crafters for about $5 apiece back in the 1950s. They were also raised on “farms” in Europe for use in small pictures, jewelry and other decorative objects as far back as the 1920s. Most of these items were made in England, and some still have paper tags attached indicating the origin.
It's not immediately obvious when collectibles are decorated with butterfly wings, however, because they tend to be used as a background to simulate water, sky or even cloth. The main feature of the piece is a silhouette done predominently in black, but a little colorful accent can be part of the decoration as well.
These are generally produced by a technique called reverse painting. That is, the tint is painted directly on the back of the glass and then placed atop the butterfly wing background.
Motifs vary according to where the items were originally sold, and it seems they were retailed all around the world at one time or another. Since a good number of these items were sold in tropical tourist areas, they feature palm trees, boats and water scenes. Other popular motifs include women dressed in period costumes, American Southwest cactus scenes and Dutch children.
Most of the pictures utilizing butterfly wings for decoration seem to have been produced somewhere between the 1920s and 1950s. Jewelry items, which include pins, pendants and an occasional ring, are still being made today in Brazil and Belize, but the newer pieces aren't as nicely crafted as the older ones. In fact, many early butterfly wing jewelry items made in England were set in sterling silver and feature fancy scrollwork along the edge of the setting.
The value of these items can vary widely. In general, older jewelry pieces tend to be more popular than the newer pieces. Another aspect to consider when deciding a value is the quality of the decoration. After examining a few butterfly wing items, you'll probably notice some differences in the skill level of the artists who painted the silhouette decorations. High quality painting adds value to your piece.
You'll also want to make sure that you're actually getting genuine butterfly wing items rather than simulations. Some of these objects still have stickers attached to them denoting the origin of production and that they are in fact “genuine butterfly wing” pieces. Or, as with some jewelry items in the original box, the description will be printed on the container.
If these signals aren't present, look closely at the iridescent background. If you have a jeweler's loupe, you can actually see the tiny overlapping scales indicative of true butterfly wings. Pieces that simulate butterfly wings were usually made with colored foil background and it's obvious upon close examination. With a little practice, you won't even need a magnifying instrument to see the difference.
And keep in mind that pieces with fading, discoloration or showing disintegration should not be valued as highly as items still holding their pretty luster.
To keep your butterfly wing collection bright and beautiful, avoid exposure to harsh light and moisure. For jewelry, take care to keep it put away when it's not being worn. When displaying pictures, trays, decorative boxes, compacts and other butterfly wing items, do so in areas with low light and low humidity.
With a little TLC you can continue to enjoy these interesting pieces for years to come.
