Carved Cherry Red Bakelite & Silver Spider Brooch

This exceptional brooch is a rare early example of mixed material jewellery from the interwar period, combining a hand carved cherry red phenolic resin body with finely hammered and sculpted silver legs. The richly coloured resin, an early phenolic precursor to later commercial Bakelite, has been meticulously carved with minute surface details visible only under magnification, demonstrating a level of craftsmanship far exceeding typical early plastic jewellery.
The silver work reflects the techniques of Central European ateliers of the 1910s to 1920s, particularly those influenced by the Vienna Secession and related modernist metal workshops. Each leg is individually hammered, shaped, and attached to a contoured silver back plate, giving the spider both structure and lifelike dimensionality. The combination of the vibrant synthetic resin with traditional silversmithing techniques captures the spirit of early Modernism as the meeting of natural forms, new industrial materials, and artisanal craft.
Insect motifs enjoyed a long history in jewellery, but in the 1920s they were reinterpreted through the lens of Modernism, stylised, sculptural, and strikingly contemporary. This brooch embodies that transition with remarkable clarity. Its bold colour, delicate carving, and architectural silver work create a piece that is at once symbolic, modern, and highly collectable.
A rare and possibly unique example of early twentieth century European experimental jewellery, and an outstanding addition to any collection of early plastics, Art Deco, or modernist design.
 
Early Phenolic resin and hammered Silver
Central Europe, circa 1920s
Length approximately 5cm
Ref B504
 
For a deeper look at the history and symbolism behind this piece, see our upcoming blog post on spider iconography and early modernist jewellery.