Trifari Moghul Butterfly Brooch
We were so happy to be able to acquire one of these "Moghul" pieces. Not only are they hard to find in good enough condition to re- sell, they can be impossibly expensive.
Trifari produced an entire line of these pieces with the ribbed or melon glass stones
beginning in 1949. Some were produced in 1950 as well. The stones are called "melon cut cabochon" stones in the Brunialti books so that is good enough for me. This pin can be
found on page 152 of the latest Brunialti book, American Costume Jewelry, Art and Industry, Volume 2.
The Moghul pieces were best sellers even
in their day and are considered by many to be right up there with the best Trifari ever produced.
Click on the image for a full description or to purchase!
Trifari Mogul Butterfly Brooch
The stones used were a combination of
red, white green and blue. Here the butterfly has green melon glass stones, small ruby red cabochons and tiny pavé set clear rhinestones. The metal is gold- tone or rather Trifanium.
This is a patented piece. The patent was
issued in 1949 to Alfred Philippe, who had been with the company since 1930. There is some question as to whether he actually designed all the pieces with his name on the patent. I do not know the answer. If he did, he was more than a genius and a very busy man!
According to the Brunialti's, this line
is a follow on to or a reintroduction of the "Scheherazade" line from 1934 that also utilized large central stones. Recall that it was not
unusual for Trifari to re- introduce some of their best sellers. They have done this right into the 1990s. Some of the re- issues included the date.
These "Moghul" pieces are prized for their timeless beauty, heft and their craftsmanship by collectors all over.
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