This elegant Bug brooch is from the 1920s. The main body of the bug is made of porcelain and the wings are made of brass. I would love to say the eyes are rubies but I don’t think they are.
Insects have been common motifs in jewellery for many years. The Victorians who loved all novelty made jewellery in the form of various insects, bugs and butterflies. They also used real scarab beetles. You do see these from time to time at antique fairs. Good examples can be seen in Jewellery in the Age of Queen Victoria by Charlotte Gere and Judy Rudoe (page 232). In this wonderful book there are also other illustrations of Victorian insect jewellery.
Madeleine Albright who was the 64th US Secretary of State (1997 -2001) and first woman in the role was well known for wearing brooches to send subtle and not so subtle political messages. In her book ‘Read my Pins’ there is a photo of her standing in front of a giant world on Earth Day 1998 wearing a collection of bug brooches on her jacket and on the opposite page in the book some of these are illustrated in detail (pages 156 & 157).