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PROVENANCE & COLLECTOR NOTE
Frederick S. Hoffman & Company, founded in New York in the 1930s, produced some of the most exquisite and technically demanding jewelry of the Art Deco era. Their signature technique — encasing the iridescent wing of the South American Morpho butterfly beneath a crystal and sterling silver setting — created pieces of breathtaking, otherworldly beauty. The Morpho butterfly's wing is not painted or dyed; it achieves its legendary blue-green iridescence through the microscopic structure of its scales, which refract light rather than absorb it. No two wings are identical, making every Hoffman piece a one-of-a-kind work of nature and art.
This matched set — a brooch and a size 6.5 ring — is a rare and exceptional find. Signed "Hoffman" on both pieces, they represent the finest expression of this celebrated New York maker's craft. Pieces from Frederick S. Hoffman & Company are actively collected and increasingly difficult to find in matched sets.
CONDITION
Antique Excellent (Curated) — Both pieces present beautifully. The butterfly wing beneath the crystal is vivid and iridescent with no fading or deterioration. The sterling silver settings are clean and secure with the warm patina appropriate to pieces of this age. The rollover closure on the brooch is fully functional. The ring shank is solid and unworn. A truly exceptional matched set in outstanding condition for its age.
DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
- Style: Matched Butterfly Wing Brooch and Cocktail Ring Set (Art Deco, wearable natural art)
- Metal: Sterling silver (.925)
- Feature: Genuine Morpho butterfly wing encased under crystal (iridescent blue-green)
- Brooch Dimensions: 1.5" length x 0.85" width
- Ring Size: 6.5
- Brooch Weight: 10 grams
- Ring Weight: 1 gram
TECHNICAL DETAILS
- Hallmark: Signed "Hoffman" on both pieces; sterling silver
- Closure: Rollover clasp (brooch)
- Era: Art Deco, c. 1930s–1940s
- Maker: Frederick S. Hoffman & Company, New York
GRACE NOTE
There is something profoundly moving about wearing a piece of the natural world as jewelry. The Morpho butterfly's wing — with its impossible, shimmering blue-green iridescence — has been considered a symbol of transformation, joy, and the beauty of fleeting moments across cultures for centuries. Frederick Hoffman understood this, and he built a company around the idea that nature's artistry deserved to be worn close to the heart.
Pin the brooch to the lapel of a navy or ivory blazer, and slip the ring on your right hand. The iridescent wings will catch the light differently with every movement, drawing quiet, admiring glances all day long. This is a set for a woman who appreciates that the most beautiful things in life are also the most rare.
PROVENANCE & COLLECTOR NOTE
Frederick S. Hoffman & Company, founded in New York in the 1930s, produced some of the most exquisite and technically demanding jewelry of the Art Deco era. Their signature technique — encasing the iridescent wing of the South American Morpho butterfly beneath a crystal and sterling silver setting — created pieces of breathtaking, otherworldly beauty. The Morpho butterfly's wing is not painted or dyed; it achieves its legendary blue-green iridescence through the microscopic structure of its scales, which refract light rather than absorb it. No two wings are identical, making every Hoffman piece a one-of-a-kind work of nature and art.
This matched set — a brooch and a size 6.5 ring — is a rare and exceptional find. Signed "Hoffman" on both pieces, they represent the finest expression of this celebrated New York maker's craft. Pieces from Frederick S. Hoffman & Company are actively collected and increasingly difficult to find in matched sets.
CONDITION
Antique Excellent (Curated) — Both pieces present beautifully. The butterfly wing beneath the crystal is vivid and iridescent with no fading or deterioration. The sterling silver settings are clean and secure with the warm patina appropriate to pieces of this age. The rollover closure on the brooch is fully functional. The ring shank is solid and unworn. A truly exceptional matched set in outstanding condition for its age.
DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
- Style: Matched Butterfly Wing Brooch and Cocktail Ring Set (Art Deco, wearable natural art)
- Metal: Sterling silver (.925)
- Feature: Genuine Morpho butterfly wing encased under crystal (iridescent blue-green)
- Brooch Dimensions: 1.5" length x 0.85" width
- Ring Size: 6.5
- Brooch Weight: 10 grams
- Ring Weight: 1 gram
TECHNICAL DETAILS
- Hallmark: Signed "Hoffman" on both pieces; sterling silver
- Closure: Rollover clasp (brooch)
- Era: Art Deco, c. 1930s–1940s
- Maker: Frederick S. Hoffman & Company, New York
GRACE NOTE
There is something profoundly moving about wearing a piece of the natural world as jewelry. The Morpho butterfly's wing — with its impossible, shimmering blue-green iridescence — has been considered a symbol of transformation, joy, and the beauty of fleeting moments across cultures for centuries. Frederick Hoffman understood this, and he built a company around the idea that nature's artistry deserved to be worn close to the heart.
Pin the brooch to the lapel of a navy or ivory blazer, and slip the ring on your right hand. The iridescent wings will catch the light differently with every movement, drawing quiet, admiring glances all day long. This is a set for a woman who appreciates that the most beautiful things in life are also the most rare.
