This is lovely hairpin, which was also known as a buyao, literally meaning "shake as you go", a common ornament during the Ming Dynasty in China. During this period, hairpins featured multiple styles, with a diverse number of designs at the tip of the hairpins. The most popular forms included flowers, birds, fish, insects and beasts, as well as flowers such as: plum blossoms, lotus flowers, chrysanthemums, peach blossoms, peonies and lotuses. The elaborate "buyao" hairpin was an exquisite hair ornament denoting noble status, which was often be encrusted with jewels and featuring carved designs.

To give my piece that dancing movement so prized in ancient hairpins, I suspended clear blue sapphire briolettes from the edges and bottoms of the butterfly's wings, and swags of delicate silver chain in the upper wings. I wrapped tiny red and pink tundra sapphires along the edge of the upper wings, and suspended two keishi pearls in the apex of each wing. The body of the butterfly is a marquis briolette of iolite, wrapped so it also moves, and dots of brilliant red rubies shine from the center swirl of each lower wing.

Hours of time and love went into making this unique piece, which would make a beautiful addition to a bride's elaborate hair dressing on her most special occasion, but it would look stunning for any special event, as well.

The hand-forged, sterling hairpin base measures 3-3/4 inches in length. The butterfly's wingspan is 2-1/2 inches at its widest point, and the total length of the pin is 4-3/4 inches. It will arrive in a floral gift box, with the artist's card.

This piece was shown in the 2010 Idaho State University Undergraduate Art Show, a juried art exhibition offered every year at Idaho State University.

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