Catalog: Archives: Estate Jewelry (468)

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...

Slick, less-is-more design and a beautifully carved amethyst "mask" make this vintage 1950s Mexican sterling silver ring easy to wear and a real treat for the eye! There is something masculine about the simplicity of the ring itself that is, however, tempered by the delicately soft, slender features of the stone "face". The amethyst is here semi-translucent and the absence of intense inclusions allows the light to penetrate it and make it look like purple Italian ice...

Fabulous pair of mod, space-age Mexican silver dangle earrings with azur-malachite inlay in the style of the Los Castillo "Mosaico Azteca" line. Just note the Saturn-like spheres at the end of the slick, long stems and the dimension that the inlaid band around them adds to the design. Spectacular and so unique! Each earring is 2 1/4" long and the diameter of the dangling sphere with the band around it is 3/4"...

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...

Possibly the most massive ring by Antonio I have ever seen and a very strong modernist statement at the same time, this is a piece that would fit right in the best collection of Pineda jewelry. Angularity that is softened by the stone's curves and the curled wire holding itin place combine with the setting's breath-taking size to create a visually powerful ring. Currently a sz 6, it can be easily resized by a good 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...

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...

One of the most inspired Taxco modernists, Enrique Ledesma is not widely known as an enamelist yet he did create jewelry combining sterling with bright colored enamels. It seems that those pieces are rare and difficult to find but if one is lucky enough to come upon an example, the search is justified and the seeker duly rewarded! The necklace at hand, distinctly "machine age" in its constituting elements, breaks free of its functionalist constraints with the use of brilliant blue enamel...

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...

One of the few females of Taxco - at least, one of the few whose name we actually know - Erika Hult de Corral 's creations can be impressive, exhibiting genuine creativity and a certain sense of comfort within the realm of modernist design. I particularly like her "moonscape" pieces, partly because I first learned about her years ago when I happened upon such a necklace and earrings set by her...

One of the few female designers we know of in Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance and a gifted modernist at that, Erika Hult de Corral created jewelry that attracts the eye and captures one's imagination. I am particularly fond of her "moonscape" designs that touch upon biomorphic brutalism, if you allow me the combination, yet the sense of unimpeded, fluid motion and the abstraction present in this particular bracelet reflect, in my opinion, one of her best moments...

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...

Vintage silver and tiger's eye necklace by Erika Hult de Corral, the Taxco modernist designer with studies in Paris and apprenticeships in the workshops of both Ledesma and Sigi Pineda. I love Ric's jewelry for the fluidity of lines and her unique way of marrying sterling with hard stones. The necklace at hand has an inner circumference of 15 3/4" (clasped) with its width varying between 3/4" at center front and 1/8" at its narrowest, next to the clasp...

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...

Imposing presence and a beautiful green stone that I believe is agate combine in this vintage Mexican silver ring by the Los Ballesteros workshop. A mid-century piece in terms of its age, the ring does, however, retain the architecturality that Deco jewelry is known and sought after for. And then, of course, there is that detail of the twist-rope wire delineating the rectangular face - more of a traditional, Spanish Colonial touch but who could ever object to it? Currently a sz 6 US but easily r...

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. I love the octagonal shape on the outer surface, the sense of Deco geometry it adds to the piece and the silky soft patina the bracelet has developed over its long lif...

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. Just like this ring - extra long, incredible in the richness of its design and the flawless execution, with its amazing patina and the strong presence that it commands! A rin...

How often does one find an Enrique Ledesma starburst pendant? And if one does come upon an example, how often is it of such astonishing proportions? Let me answer my own question then - not often at all! Yet here I am presenting you with one and it is spectacular. Having a huge flat-cut color-change sapphire (synthetic corundum) at its heart , the pendant shoots out eight elegant sterling rays, their slender bodies curving away from the center to end in flattened drop shapes. This is such an ico...