Inspired by ancient Inca motifs this 1950s Industria Peruana silver and 18k yellow gold necklace is a classic example of the best jewelry that came out of Peru around the middle of the 20th c.. Hand-hammered sterling links feature figural appliques on their slightly concave faces, the same combination of silver and gold also used to form the circular connectors...

I have said many times in the past that I consider the Los Ballesteros workshop Taxco’s foremost creator of the so-called “mask” jewelry. And among their best are their hinged bangle bracelets, a fantastic example of which I am presenting here. The effigy is carved out of tiger’s eye, a stone which creates a magical sensation with its molten gold, glistening caramel and rich chocolate browns...

A trained sculptor, Felipe Martinez created some of the most amazing “mask” jewelry in the golden period of Mexico’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance. His ability to work with precious metal and stone is astounding, the two materials becoming like one whole in his inlaid designs while in his “mask” creations turning into living, breathing figures in a deeply serene sleep...

Here is a fantastic necklace, in the style of Murrle, Bennett and other Arts & Crafts designers of high renown. It is unsigned, which is not unusual. It features a central silver panel with a big labradorite cab, 3/4” x 9/16”. The whole panel with dangles measures 13/16” x 1-7/8”. The wearable length is 24”, and there are 20” worth of labradorite beads, most having the distinctive and beautiful blue flash for which that stone is known...

Trained as a sculptor Felipe Martinez, the founder of Piedra y Plata, is one of the best lapidaries in the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry. There is a liquid perfection that characterizes the way he fuses stone and precious metal together and the serenity on his carved “masks” seems to be flowing in from a different dimension...

Without a doubt the “queen” of vintage Mexican silver jewelry, Matilde Poulat was an exceptional designer and, in my humble opinion, one of the country’s artists who, in their work, expressed the philosophy of the Arts and Crafts movement. Her highly textured repoussage allows us to follow the silversmith’s hand as it slides over the metal thus affording us, to an extent, a glimpse of the creative process...

Better than wearing your heart on your sleeve is this lovely silver bracelet with seventeen charms. The bracelet is 7 1/4" long and is sterling. It bears a maker's mark for GJ Ltd. The charms are clearly a collection made over time. There are charms made of sterling, 800 silver, and silver plate. There are padlocks, puffy hearts, plain hearts, and flowered hearts...even a heart locket. The bracelet dates from the 1950s.

This elegant, hand wrought sterling silver necklace was designed and signed c. 1940's by Taxco, Mexico artist William Spratling. Measuring 20 1/2" long & 1 inch wide the necklace weighs 100 grams. Beautiful condition and patina. This design is pictured on p. 46 of MEXICAN SILVER by Penny Morrill and Carole Berk. Looks great with casual or dress. Spratling designs are the central focus of the permanent 20th century Mexican silver collection at Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Early and quite hard to find, this Los Castillo silver repousse bracelet is comprised of lusciously sculpted, wide feather links. A dream to wear, I love it for the scrolled edges of each feather and the way the links alternate their orientation adding drama to the design. The bracelet measures a wearable 7" long and it is 1 1/2" wide. It weighs 52.9 grams and has a safety chain as well...

The smaller version of this particular design, this set of vintage Margot de Taxco earrings reminds me of elaborate woven baskets. The repoussage here is very sculptural and the beading in combination with the wonderful patina the set has acquired over the years accentuates its three-dimensional appeal. Eye-catching without being visually overwhelming, it is easy to wear and will hold its own whatever the occasion you chose it for...

Casting of very good quality, a huge amethyst gemstone and a long chain with figural links combine in this Italian Peruzzi style pendant necklace to create one of those pieces that collectors covet and all of us dream about. I believe we have here a convergence of two Revival movements - Classical Revival in the sterling chain with its theater mask links and Gothic Revival with the two dragons flanking that amazing amethyst...

Big, heavy and bold, the Los Ballesteros “beehive” pendant can be found with “masks” carved in amethyst, dyed calcite, azurite, black onyx and even obsidian yet I have never seen one like the example I am thrilled to be presenting here! Very reminiscent of Old World “moon face” jewelry, the portrait in our case is rendered in a light, lemon-colored stone...

A design that doesn’t come up very often, these figural Mexican Deco silver earrings by Los Castillo remind me of Old World “wind” representations. I love the sense of powerful forward motion they convey with the curling repousse silverwork and the feather-like trail that the “winds” leave behind them as they sweep through the skies. I wonder what the rest of the parure looks like...

Beautifully executed this Mexican silver and dyed calcite "mask-in-a-feathered-sunburst" brooch is based on a similar Spratling design (if I am not mistaken). Sunburst designs were popular among Mexican silversmiths in the first half of the 20th c. - a giver of life and warmth, the sun is important in all civilizations and its portrayal took on a myriad of symbolic meanings...

Just shy of 2" long, I give you the third and last and definitely quirkiest set of Sigi Pineda silver earrings I have been talking about. I happened to come upon the first of these in early summer, fell in love with its cartoonish strangeness - I had never seen this line of Sigi's before...

I promised yesterday that I had two more of those Sigi Pineda surrealist figures dangle earring sets to present and here is the second pair. There is something as endearing as it is quirky about the specific design line - I am not sure what Sigi was into when he created these - but I find them all weirdly irresistible. Overlay and oxidation are used here too to convey the human form, its hands crossed on the chest, turning a minimalist profile away from the onlooker. What a concept! Measuring ...

A favorite designer of mine, Carmen Beckmann is one of the few female contributors to Mexico’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance that we know of. Mostly modernist, her work is known for its massive, at times, proportions (especially with her hinged bracelets) and her masterful use of semi-precious stones and gems. The star-form ring at hand is centered by a big, faceted color-change sapphire, that varies between amethyst and steely purple as the light changes. The star is raised above the similarly s...

The most fun Sigi Pineda earrings I have ever had, this set is in fact the first in a series of three pairs I will be presenting, all in the same design vein. Quirky and definitely playful, the figures look as if springing out of a child's sketch book. Human? Penguin? A combination of the two? Whatever the case, they are striking, rendered in silver and opaque black oxidation, a surrealist representation of wearable bipeds. Measuring 1 3/4" long by 1" wide the earrings weigh 11.7 grams (for the ...

Properly hallmarked by Margot de Taxco and bears this very rare design 5581A. It is fine line enamel and is 1 1/8th of an inch tall and further showing off a weight of 126 grams of silver. The diameter is 4.5 inches for sizing. There is no damage to the silver or enamel. I have never seen this flip of the silver on it's ends and it is absolutely beyond charming. A huge YES for collectors and beautifiers, just LOOK AT THAT NECKLACE!

This eye-catching design by Taxco, Mexico artist Hector Aguilar measures 18" long by 1" wide and weighs 105 grams. Hand-wrought in 940 sterling silver, this mid 20th century necklace is in beautiful condition with a tight and secure clasp. Hallmarked on the clasp HA 940 TAXCO with eagle #9. These hallmarks are pictured on p.13 of Silver Masters of Mexico by Penny Morrill. Hector Aguilar designs are included in the permanent Latin American collections at LACMA and MFA Boston as well as many othe...

An iconic creation for Enrique Ledesma, this design can be found in all jewelry forms and with various stones. There is something very sculptural in the way the stone is cut that bestows an irresistible tactile quality to it and the case of the brooch at hand is no exception. Predominantly green with sage overtones yet not lacking rich blues and more muted browns, the azur-malachite is securely set in its warmly glowing silver frame. Distinctly angular, the stone’s shape is mitigated by the sw...

Spectacular sterling and coral clip earrings in what appears to be a starfish pattern by Frank Patania Sr. The stones are saw tooth bezel set and there is a beautiful, fine textured pattern in the silver. Measuring 2 3/8" long and 1 1/4" wide, they weigh 31 grams total and are in fine original condition. Signed as shown. Rare and show stopping when on the ears.

Lovely sterling and smokey quartz clip earrings by Arizona Modernist H. Fred Skaggs. Photo #3 shows the stones under bright light but the first 2 photos are how the color of the stones appear in routine lighting. Weighing 18 grams total, they measure 1 1/8" by 1 1/8" and are in fine original condition. Signed as shown. Gorgeous !

This iconic tour-de-force Antonio Pineda bracelet pulls out all the stops. This design graces the cover of "Silver Seduction : The Art of Mexican Modernist Antonio Pineda".

Weighing in at a staggering 222.5 grams, this bracelet is composed of alternating trapezoidal silver panels tipped with onyx. The onyx gemstones are hand-cut and polished, and the panels are pin-hinged. This is an amazing piece, executed in almost pure (97%) silver. Circa mid-century, this bracelet is perhaps the u...

A very difficult design to find, Margot de Taxco's no 5384 is sheer geometry and a celebration of dark, rich oxidation. It is understandable then that I feel fortunate to have come upon the extra-wide hinged bracelet from the parure. Raised sterling bands around the perimeter of the cut-out design lend three-dimensional appeal which is further accentuated by the black surfaces they define. This is by far my favorite "knot" design of hers; not too simple, not overwhelmingly complicated with the p...

The name of Plateria Cortes, a Taxco retail store is often found on jewelry signed by Enrique Ledesma and this is the case with the modernist sterling silver and green stone necklace at hand. This type of curved trapezoid links embellished with inlay is a signature design for the maestro yet here there are two sections of stone in each station which is a welcome variation that does not come up as often as the typical single segment. Predominantly green, the color of the azur-malachite is deep an...

This lovely pair of handmade silver earrings designed by Taxco, Mexico artist Hector Aguilar measure 1 3/4" x 1 3/4" and weigh 21 grams. Each earring is accented with a turquoise cab. All five of the earring hoops move freely. The screw backs are in fine working order. The earrings are in beautiful condition with a soft aged patina. Fully hallmarked HA 940 TAXCO with eagle #9.

There is nothing simplistic or facile about Francisco Rivera’s jewelry! A maestro who loved overlay, paid attention to detail and finishing, created pieces that cry out to be held and touched and enjoyed he is, in my opinion, still to be recognized as the talented, inspired silversmith and designer that he was. The koi fish pin at hand, though of medium size, is a feast for the eyes - layering, oxidation, deeply hand chased details and a vivid sense of motion attract one’s gaze and hold it c...

The “enfant terrible” of Mexican silver jewelry design, Hubert Harmon moved to Mexico in 1941 where he created some fabulous and definitely quirky, statement-making pieces. I am tempted to call the big brooch presented here “the captive of love” - and I apologize if my appellation borders dangerously on the …cheesy. But those supplicant, winged hands, reaching for the skies while kept close together at the wrist by the sterling chain off which the amethyst heart dangle also hangs are r...

It’s been a while since I offered an example of Margot de Taxco’s zodiac jewelry and I am thrilled to be presenting this substantial Gemini pendant necklace here. Zodiac jewelry were popular with many Mexican maestros yet in my opinion, Margot’s creations surpass those of all her contemporaries. Sculptural, big and bold, they can be found as charms to be coupled with chain necklaces and enjoyed as pendants, like here, or dangling off the substantial bracelets she designed for that purpose....

One of Margot de Taxco’s most romantic, delicately elegant yet still eye-catching and beautifully made necklaces, the “foliate bow” is characterized by generous micro-beading accented by just the right touch of oxidation. The chain’s riveted links rest perfectly around the neck while the intricately woven central station brings to mind earlier, Old World “lovers’ knot” jewelry. Measuring 16 1/2” long (wearable) with its central station being 2 1/2” wide with a drop of 1” an...

Not very easy to find the specific design of modernist Taxco sterling silver and gemstone earrings by Enrique Ledesma features two generously-sized, color-change sapphires. Mimicking the behavior of alexandrites which change color under different light conditions, the gems are often referred to as “synthetic alexandrites” within the context of vintage Mexican silver jewelry. Yet they are in fact synthetic corundum and at best, they should be identified as “alexandrite simulants”. Their p...

A prolific maestro and one of Taxco’s best modernists, Sigi Pineda enjoyed a long, fruitful career and his jewelry is loved and sought after by aficionados of vintage Mexican jewelry. Made of sterling silver in an asymmetrical design, this hinged bangle bracelet plays with geometry and juxtaposes the shiny surface of the metal with the deep blackness of the stone. Eye-catching, beautifully made, very very mod - and a version of Sigi’s hinged bracelets that doesn’t come up very often. With...

An absolutely stunning table-cut citrine adorns this massive Carmen Beckmann Mexican silver ring. The gem, its color traveling from refreshing lemon to saturated yellow as the light changes, is lifted above the finger in a terraced setting with geometric cut-outs. Though this design was created in the 1960s-70s ( I was fortunate enough to have sold an example from that period a while ago), the piece at hand dates in the 1980s yet the quality of materials and exquisite design Beckmann jewelry is ...

It is not often that one finds an Enrique Ledesma ring and this modernist beauty is made even more desirable by the big color-change sapphire that adorns it. The gem has a table-cut type of shape and mimicking the behavior of alexandrites, it changes color under different light conditions traveling from deep amethyst to steely purple. I love the highly stylized setting - to my eyes it reads like silver fingers holding on to the stone as it rests on a willing palm. Currently a sz 7 US (a jeweler ...

Maestro Rivera is one of those contemporaries of Matilde Poulat’s who created jewelry in her manner and whose work I am always on the look-out for because of its quality and attention to detail. Based on a Matl original, the “palomas” (or “doves”) necklace at hand combines Mexico City style repousse with beading, wirework and oxidation. The two birds are shown here with wings extended, flanking a beautiful amethyst, surrounded by turquoise cabs above the central medallion’s articulat...

Housing a polished obsidian cabochon with warm, shimmering golden depths this vintage Mexican silver bracelet bears the signature of Sigi Pineda, one of Taxco’s foremost modernist designers. A prolific creator, Sigi was at his best when he worked within the confines of minimalism - the bracelet presented here, a hinged bangle, is just such an example. The idea of “less-is-more” is perfectly expressed in the lean yet fluid lines of the silver-work while the playfulness of the volcanic glass...

This lariat solid silver rope necklace is extremely elegant with a width of .25 inch. There is a clamp also hand made to fit this necklace and lock it in place where ever you wish it to hold. The tassels have the fine strands of chain with satin finish balls. With a weight of 93 grams it displays great beauty. The length with the tassels is approximately 42 dramatic inches. Also this jewel has no damage of any kind. The hallmarks are hard to photograph and say TAXCO MEXICO and the other rim of t...

Modernist sterling ring by Erika Hult de Corral (Ric), this rather rare to find design combines silver in two finishes with richly colored malachite and two small, deep blue lapis cabochons. I am very excited to have found this piece, especially since I recently sold the matching earrings to it (you can use the search feature to see them, if you wish). A talented designer and one of the few known female contributors to Mexico’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance, de Corral is at her best when she flir...

I don’t usually venture into the 1980s with vintage Mexican silver jewelry but Erika Hult de Corral is one of the few instances in which the general rule is broken. A Paris-educated, talented modernist with a distinct brutalist strain in her designs, Ric (as she signs her pieces) worked with Sigi Pineda and Enrique Ledesma before she opened her own workshop. She kept making jewelry into the 1980s, past the demise of most of Taxco’s early talleres, and the dangle earrings at hand are such an ...

7.5 inches long Vintage William Spratling bracelet made in first phase of the Mexican Silver Renaissance and projects a timeless design. .75 inches tall and constructed with the open backed repousse technique. There is glare in the photos but this jewel has no dents or damage with some patina. It closes with a fold over clasp that is firm. The weight is 39 grams of higher than 925 silver and strength is given to the bracelet with the bending to the silver. A pleasure to wear. The hallmark is cl...

Here is an elegant sterling silver fancy-link chain which comes from the era of the Titanic, but could be as late as the Art Deco period (Downton Abbey! The Great Gatsby!). It is interesting enough to be worn on its own, or you could hang a pendant or watch from it. The clasp is stamped “Sterling”. It measures 26”, and the links are 1/4” or 4mm wide at the widest point. It weighs 5.6g, and is in excellent condition. The photos are part of the description; please examine them carefully. T...

Navajo Kenneth Begay has been called the "father of modern Navajo jewelry". From 1946-1964, he worked as a benchsmith at the White Hogan Shop in Scottsdale, Az. This elegant, precise bracelet measures 5 1/4" around in the inside plus an additional 1 1/8" opening. It is 3/8" wide and weighs 37 grams. All original, fine condition and signed as shown in the photos. Gorgeous alone or perfect for stacking.

Perfectly carved and housed in a monumental sterling silver setting, this vintage Los Ballesteros “mask” ring is definitely a statement-making piece. For me it is all the more appealing because the stone changes color as one descends from the “mask’s” forehead to the chin, going from purple to a semi-translucent white. The effect is visually attractive as it somehow bestows age and wisdom to the tranquil face. Currently a sz 5 US (a good jeweler could re-size it, if needed) the ring ha...

Rare vintage sterling orchid cuff bracelet from Angela Cumming's iconic first collection as an independent designer after she left Tiffany & Co. It measures 5 1/2" around in the inside plus an additional 1 1/8" opening and is 2 3/4” wide at the widest point in the front and tapers to 1 3/4" at the terminals. Weighing 105 grams, it is in fine original condition and signed and dated 1984 as shown. Inspired by her love of nature and beautiful in every way.

Antonio Pineda hallmarked necklace with approximately 17 in. wearable and 70 grams of thick silver. Each link makes a wave with open air slits in between each wave. At the widest point it is 1 inch tall. It is built on a curve and lays beautifully with his signature triangular shaped connections . Perfect for board room to jeans. Simply stunning on. No damage and natural dark patina, just LOOK AT THAT NECKLACE!

Classic, simple elegance is displayed in this phase 1, William Spratling Necklace. The lack of o rings in construction lends itself to a fluid look. Properly hallmarked and showing the 92 rubbed from the making with the 5 showing. It is heavy repousse and is 66 grams of quality. There is 16.25 in. of wearable length. It is built on a slant and lays beautifully. The height at it's tallest is half an inch. A beautiful addition for collectors with no damage and a heavy natural patina, LOOK AT THAT ...

One of the most talented Taxco maestros, Francisco Rivera trained in Spratling's Las Delicias and as a mature maestro he created jewelry for Emma Melendez in addition to having his own line. Rivera is one of those artists a collector / lover of vintage Mexican silver does not discover immediately. One has to train one's eye first and develop the sophistication that allows one to go looking beyond the "big" signatures in order to discover amazing examples of "wearable treasures" made by less cele...

Huge, meticulously worked, with such detail and rich presence this Mexican Deco sterling silver bird of paradise is one of my absolutely favorite brooch designs. I have to admit that I really love brooches - I seek them out and try to find the best examples for One Good Eye Silver and it doesn't matter to me if they are "in" or not at the specific point in time. Brooches are classy; they can be delicate and romantic; and they can be bold and beautiful. This bird-of-paradise is open-back repousse...

Perfect for the medium to smaller wrist, this vintage modernist Enrique Ledesma hinged bracelet features a big, asymmetrical medallion with green stone inlay in the "mozaico Azteca" tradition of the Los Castillo. The transition from stone to metal is seamless and if one looks closely (in the photos it is more evident thanks to the macro lens), one can see evidence of the maestro's polishing wheel that brought the two surfaces together in a perfectly smooth union. The bracelet has a 6" inner circ...

Big, with pronounced repoussage, a series of beautiful turquoise cabs crowning the crest of the creature's shell, this vintage Mexican Deco figural brooch was most probably made in the country's capital as its workmanship indicates. This type of "high relief", textured repousse jewelry is reminiscent of Matilde Poulat's techniques and closely associated with Mexico City maestros. Here, the texturing is not as predominant as in other pieces yet if one looks closely, one can see the silversmith's ...

A most unusual Mexican Deco necklace, this Mexico City figural example falls under several categories. Its links are inlaid with azur-malachite in the Los Castillo "mozaico azteca" style but it also belongs in the "mask" jewelry sub-genre thanks to the repousse portrait adorning the central station. And even though this is not a work from Taxco and its maker is, for all intents and purposes, an "unsung" contributor to Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance, the "mask" itself is based on an early An...

One of Enrique Ledesma's signature designs, the necklace at hand is a must-have for the collector because of the rare color agate used to complete the trapezoid links. Most frequently found with black onyx, obsidian and green stones (chrysocolla or chrysoprase) this is an ode to "less-is-more" necklace and to come upon an example with this rich, reddish brown agate is a real treat. Perfectly cut - after all, Ledesma was one of Taxco's best lapidaries - the stone is cool and smooth to the touch, ...

Celia Harms known for her work with gemstones has 12 stones on each half of this bracelet. All different colors with most being Mexican fire opals. The height of the bracelet is 2.5 inches and the diameter is 2.75 inches. This is one of her earlier works as it is closed with a barrel and pin. The patina is lovely and there is no damage. It has quite a presence with a weight of 107 grams. This fits like a bangle on the wrist. It would be hard to make this art piece for the offered price with all ...

Light and airy this vintage Hector Aguilar foliate brooch looks almost like an anatomical leaf study in fine, .940 silver. I think it is a fern leaf that is presented in its absolutely bare essentials yet the stem's playful curve and the graduated lessening of the pin's width as it proceeds from base to leaf tip impart a pleasantly deceiving illusion of sculpturality. Easy to wear, soothing on the eye, perfect for the time when trees put on their fall colors. The brooch measures 3 3/8" tall by 1...

Perfectly carved obsidian teardrops with shimmering golden depths and high purity silver combine in this modernist Antonio Pineda set of dangle earrings. There is an innate elegance in the way the silver embraces the volcanic glass, like slender flames of a hot fire emanating from black coals. In the darkness, you only see the silver; in the light it is only the obsidian that catches the eye. Antonio at one of his best moments, I believe. The earrings measure 1 3/4" long by just shy of 5/8" wide...

The signatures of Chato Castillo and Ingrid's combine on this exquisite Mexican Deco silver fan pendant necklace - neither is a a common occurrence and both are synonymous with imaginative design and high quality. Chato is reported to have been the driving adventurous force behind most of the Los Castillo innovations - the revival of ancient techniques, the experimentation with materials - while Ingrid's still remains among the elusive early Taxco retailers. Monumental in its proportions, the pe...

An absolutely gorgeous sterling and lapis ring by Arizona Modernist H. Fred Skaggs. This bold ring has an eye catching setting and a beautiful, deep, bright 1 3/8" long lapis stone. It is a size 6 1/2 and weighs 23 grams. No condition issues, no chips or cracks to the stone. This ring will delight any collector of Skaggs pieces.

Architectural in a dramatic yet also minimalist way, this Hans Hansen sterling silver ring does not come up very often. Set on a cylindrical post its tambour-shaped face holds a polished round black onyx disk within it. The transition from sterling to stone is seamless, the surfaces of the two materials "married" to each other in the most perfect way while the tambour's sides are reflected in the simple wide shank. Wearable art indeed! Currently a sz 6.5 US (can be easily re-sized) with its face...

Intricately constructed this hand wrought 940 sterling silver necklace was designed by Taxco, Mexico artist Hector Aguilar. Rarely seen on the market it is 20 1/2" long x 1/4" wide and weighs a comfortable 55 grams. It’s in beautiful condition with a tight & secure slide-in clasp. Fully hallmarked HA 940 TAXCO and TALLER Borda and Aguilar's eagle # 9. Hector Aguilar designs are included in permanent museum collections including MFA Boston & LACMA.