Victorian Pinchbeck Earrings Maltese Cross & Bee/Fly Rare

Victorian Pinchbeck Earrings Maltese Cross & Fly.
Pair if early to mid Victorian earrings featuring a maltese cross design and Bee/Fly.
Inscribed on the arms are the letters "D","O","N" and "T".
 
The may have been given to the wife or lover of a soldier, likely an officer, possible military connection.
The come in a beautiful Victorian period box.
 
They weigh 4.2 grams and measure a length of 33 mm and width of 17mm.
 
 
In Victorian-era jewelry, the Maltese cross was a popular motif with strong symbolic associations, particularly with the Order of the Knights of Malta. It represented courage, honor, loyalty, and chivalry, often used in brooches, pendants, and other decorative pieces. The cross's eight points were also linked to the eight obligations of the Order of St. John: living in truth, faith, repentance, humility, justice, mercy, sincerity, and endurance. 
 
The symbolism of bees in jewelry often revolves around industry, teamwork, and community. They represent hard work, diligence, and the value of collaboration. In the Victorian era, flies in jewelry symbolized mortality, spiritual humility, and the fleeting nature of life. This era was known for its fascination with memento mori, and flies, with their association with decay and death, were fitting symbols. Additionally, fly-themed jewelry could represent luck and perseverance.