This brooch is notable for being the only piece of jewelry executed to a design by Sir Edward Burne-Jones. It is believed that this brooch is one of only three known of this model. Metropolitan Museum
Designs for jewels in the form of birds perched in trees, created by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, presumably the preliminary designs for bird brooches made by Giuliano, are illustrated in Artists' Jewellery-Pre-Raphaelite to Arts and Crafts, p. 134. Despite the existence of numerous sketches for jewels made by Burne-Jones, the bird brooch design was, according to his wife, virtually the only one that was executed. According to Geoffrey Munn, three examples of this jewel have been traced, two made by Carlo Giuliano and the third, offered in this sale, made by Carlo and Arthur. The first example was a gift to Burne-Jones' daughter, Margaret, in about 1884. Another went to Laura, Margot Asquith's favorite sister, who died giving birth to a son in 1886. An example signed Carlo Giuliano was sold at Sotheby's London on June 21st, 1990, lot 55. The symbolism of the bird as messenger of Venus indicates that it may have been given as a nuptial gift.