I was extraordinarily lucky to recently have the opportunity to purchase a collection of antique Chinese kingfisher hair ornaments (circa 1850-1890) in absolutely fabulous condition and am grudgingly parting with a few, four of which I just finished listing at the LongLocks HairSticks Boutique (http://www.longlocks.com)

Kingfisher feathers have a very long history in Chinese art. The feathers are iridescent and flash vibrant shades of blues and turquoise which change as the feathers are viewed from different angles.  During the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) the feathers were used to decorate hair combs worn by the highest-ranking women at court. At one time, possession of a piece of this jewelry was the dream of every Chinese woman. Unfortunately, this beautiful bird once plentiful along China's rivers and marshes, has since been hunted to extinction.

See these remarkable and historical pieces in the Vintage Hair Combs section of the LongLocks HairSticks Boutique catalog (http://www.longlocks.com/vintage-hair-combs.htm)