Catalog: Archives: Estate Jewelry (467)

Heavy, imposing, an undisputed beauty, this vintage sterling silver Alfredo Villasana lariat necklace with matching earrings represents the highest quality you can get in this genre. Thick rope and big tassels with luscious fringe can be worn with or without the special clip that comes with the lariat in a variety of configurations. Yet it is the presence of the matching earrings that makes this demi rare and irresistible...

Gorgeous silver hinged bangle bracelet signed by Topazio of Portugal featuring a repousse "harvest" motif with bunches of mature wheat in rectangular frames. Topazio bracelets are the best of the genre - their designs are crisp and register easily to the eye; the finishing is impeccable and their decorative motifs a joy to behold...

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...

Quite impressive with its big, variegated agate cabochon - I believe this is actually moss agate - and extremely rare this is a Mexican ring with strong presence by Enrique Ledesma, one of Taxco's foremost modernist silversmiths. I love the asymmetrical setting - it creates a feeling of continuous flow and movement that accentuates the earthiness of the agate - and the fantastic way that Ledesma has of combining metal and stone. The ring bears the Eagle 60 assay mark, which in Bille Houga...

Miniature versions of the clamper bracelets in the corresponding designs by-pass or wrap rings are veritable miracles of craftsmanship and attention to detail as well as testimonials to their maker's patience and ability to concentrate. And even though I know all this, some examples still amaze me with their superb quality...

Generously long and definitely mod, this Erika Hult de Corral necklace is a minimalist little treasure! Not only does it wear like a dream - for me it is the epitome of "less-is-more", except for the luscious greens that make the polished stone centering it a treat for the eye. This is a pre-1980 example of her work and quite versatile since you can easily wear it with that classy black dress or have it casually adorn your favorite worn T-shirt...

I look at this Sigi Pineda brooch and I see pine trees frosted with snow, dancing to the tunes of cold winter winds in a Nordic forest. I am sure that others out there will see something else - and this is the magic of minimalist, abstract design; the magic of Sigi when he is truly inspired. I will not say much more hoping that my photos will help illustrate your dreamscapes but will add that the brooch is 2" tall by 1 1/8" at its widest and weighs 8.5 grams...

One of the best Taxco modernists Enrique Ledesma was successful not only as a jewelry designer but also as a mosaicist and a lapidary. Two of his favorite materials, sterling silver and stone, are combined here in a classic for the maestro design. Minimalist, quite geometric with clean, easy to follow lines, the necklace's only luxury seems to be the saturated, rich green of the chrysocolla (I think!) trapezoids...

Alongside Sigi Pineda and Enrique Ledesma Erika Hult de Corral is one of my favorite modernist jewelry designers - her work is imaginative, never fails to surprise and and her genuine creativity results in unfailingly impressive pieces without having to resort to fussy design. Her creations do not come up very often yet she obviously has a rather loyal following that appreciates her aesthetic and seeks after her jewelry...

One of the few female designers of Mexico’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance that we know of, Erika Hult de Corral excelled in the creation of slick abstract and brutalist jewelry. She started creating her own work in Taxco’s “middle period” and continued being active in the post-1980 years as well. Big, bold and beautiful, the result of the artist’s few yet perfectly placed brushstrokes, the dove-shaped pendant at hand conveys that precious sense of elegant, unimpeded motion...

Set in a raised bezel on a hand-hammered sterling platform the “mask” in this vintage Carmen Beckmann brooch is carved out of dyed calcite, often - and mistakenly - referred to as “jade”. Oxidation and a geometric glyph applique add complexity to the design and the portrait’s minimalist rendition brings to mind the more austere of ancient artifacts unearthed from the Mexican soil...

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...

A brooch that unabashedly lures the eye and invites the touch this sterling silver and golden sheen obsidian treasure bears the signature of Erika Hult de Corral, one of the few female designers of Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance that we know of and definitely the only modernist. de Corral's work can be truly inspired - and she has a way with silver and stones that makes the materials simply flow into each other effortlessly, as if they were always meant to be together...

One of my favorite designs of the so-called "archaeological" genre, I have seen similar pieces bearing Victoria's signature but this one is made by an artist who signs his name with initials "AE" in a heart-shaped "M". Though we don't know much about the specific maker, we do know that his work was appreciated enough by his colleagues that his signature can be found on jewelry by Rancho Alegre and Estela Popowski...

Zodiac jewelry is not uncommon in the field of vintage Mexican silver yet it is mostly bracelets (charm or link), pins and combination pin/pendants that one finds...

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...

It is not easy to stumble upon a vintage Los Ballesteros carved "mask" ring but when one does find an example, what a feast it is! There is nothing "timid" about this piece. The philosophy here is big, bold and beautiful and I believe that the Los Ballesteros workshop accomplished all this monumentality in the most amazing, masterful, and eye-pleasing way. The "mask" is here carved out of a dark green agate, I believe, with grayish white specs in it. Closed eyes, a slightly curved nose and full ...

Dated for 1972 and signed by Kultaseppa Salovaara Ky of Finland, this sterling silver and rose quartz hinged bangle bracelet epitomizes the less-is-more attitude of Scandinavian design. There is nothing superfluous here - everything serves a purpose and at the same time contributes to the bracelet's serene, confident beauty. Yet I think that the strongest element is the crystalline, soft pink of the rose quartz spheres. The bracelet has an inner circumference of 7 1/4" (clasped) with the three-...