Juniper Sprig Pin

This Juniper Sprig Pin with Blue Pearls is one of many masterpieces by American artist Michael Michaud, whose muse is nature’s flora. Michael replicates the natural beauty of a juniper sprig by casting it in bronze using the ancient lost wax technique. The “berries” of this graceful and exceptionally realistic Juniper Sprig Pin are represented by blue 3mm freshwater pearls. Crafted entirely by hand in the USA. Natural variations ensure each Juniper Sprig Pin with Blue Pearls will be one of a kind.  2.25"l. x 1.5"w.

Museum Provenance

This Juniper Sprig Pin with Blue Pearls is inspired by pearls in the National Gem and Mineral Collection in our National Museum of Natural History. Both freshwater and saltwater oysters and mussels create most of the world’s pearls. A pearl forms within the shell of a mollusk and is composed of conchilin and calcium carbonate which is secreted as nacre in many thin concentric layers to surround a foreign particle, thought to be a grain of sand. A “true pearl” develops when the grain enters the shell naturally; a “cultured pearl” is created by introducing the foreign particle manually. Since demand far exceeds the supply of natural pearls, most are now grown or cultured.

Every Smithsonian purchase will arrive with a museum provenance card explaining how it is adapted from or inspired by an object or objects in our collection.