Catalog (324)

Based on an Antonio Pineda design this Mexican modernist silver necklace by Cheo I would go as far as to describe as "industrial"! The oblong sterling links and the concave oval connectors are characterized by strong geometry and have an intense "utilitarian" vibe about them. And the opaque green "onyx" glass bars they encompass mirror that "no fuss" attitude. Cheo is one of those workshops we don't know much about but I have seen their work several times over the years. Their jewelry is often b...

A substantial set from Taxco's "middle period" this stunning necklace and earrings demi combines chunky cylinders of azur-malachite with shadow-box sterling box links. The result is quite impressive as the primarily green hues of the stone (the malachite is predominant here) are tempered by the variegated brown of the inclusions, all colors finally reflected in the glowing silver. I love a good chain necklace and this example combines good length with a presence that will never go unattended. Th...

I don’t often use the expression “Holy Grail” but Tane’s “Tarascan” necklace is one of those few pieces in the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry that deserves it. Especially if it bears pre-1980 hallmarks - which is the case here. Habitually referred to as “the Tiffany’s of Mexico”, Tane has been producing holloware and jewelry in silver and gold since 1942 and is known throughout the world for the quality of craftsmanship, impeccable design and perfect finishing. Based o...

Owned and operated by the Scarpelli family in Florence, Italy, "Le Pietre nell' Arte" gallery specializes in the art of "pietra dura" jewelry and larger works of art. Accompanied by its original box, the combination pin / pendant at hand, its vermeil finish still glistening as if it came out of the shop just yesterday, is a small treasure made by one of the family's maestros. Seamlessly inlaid in a black (onyx?) background hard-stones in blood red, crocus yellow, various shades of green and whit...

Ideal for Mother's Day (yes, there is still time to bring it home) this antique Victorian brooch is perfect to show your love and affection year round as well - whether to somebody else or yourself is up to you to decide! Wrought in the aesthetic style its decorative elements develop on different plains thus adding architectural interest and a dramatic depth of field. Tender roses in full bloom and leaves, some raised, some flat, textured with stippling and hand-etched details hold center stage ...

Quite substantial and very very mod this sterling silver bracelet by Danecraft is comprised of hefty links that have also been textured and oxidized to enhance their sculptural appeal. One of the most famous and prolific American jewelry manufacturers, Danecraft created various qualities of sterling pieces and I consider the bracelet presented here an example of their best lines. I find the finish very attractive and love the way it wraps around the wrist making itself felt but not overwhelming ...

A carefully crafted copy of one of Hubert Harmon's Mexican designs, this fabulous sterling silver and amethyst belt buckle is anonymous yet, as quite often is the case, the lack of a signature does not affect the piece's quality and beauty. Based on the workmanship I suspect this may be a Casa Maya example. Casa Maya issued many of Harmon's designs in brass primarily yet they did make them in sterling as well and quite often pieces in their parures went out in the marked without full hallmarks. ...

Based on Salvador Teran's sought-after "dancers" design, the bracelet I am presenting here was crafted in the period the renowned Mexican modernist was active by one of his contemporary Taxco maestros. Absolute minimalism, strong graphics and a sense of unencumbered, fluid motion characterize the figural overlay which dominates the shadow-box construction of the three central links. Just as in Salvador's original there are curve-topped disks and stars scattered in the frames, elements which make...

One of my favorite "less celebrated" Taxco maestros, Gerardo Lopez has been steadily gaining in popularity among collectors of vintage Mexican silver jewelry. I suspect that he worked for the Los Castillo and / or Margot de Taxco before he started his own taller as his creations are often reminiscent of designs issued by both famous workshops. Lopez's repoussage is masterful and the finishing on his jewelry impeccable. Here, however, he espoused a more "two-dimensional" approach with evident mod...

Sweet vintage 1930s/40s carved coral cameo pendant accompanied by a fine, .950 silver chain, this is a romantic, elegant necklace that defies the whims of time and fashion. Featuring the portrait of a "matron" in the classical style the cameo is set in a sterling oval frame embellished with delicate floral overlay. The pendant's swivel-out bail makes me think that it might have started its life as a pin or at least a combination pin / pendant; if so, the conversion was done a long time ago. What...

"Like mother like daughter" (and why not? father and son as well) is what came to mind when I saw this sweet Mexican silver and turquoise "baby" cuff bracelet. Beautifully stamped with ornamentation in the Native American / Southwestern style and centered by a rich blue turquoise stone with warm dark brown matrix the cuff is, of course, also ideal for those of us out there with very small wrists. Over the years of my love-affair with vintage Mexican jewelry, I have come upon "baby size" cuffs bu...

Vintage Topazio Portuguese sterling silver hinged bangle bracelet in a classic for the genre "harvest calendar" design in which different months of the year are illustrated by either a flower, fruit or other staple that characterizes them. I love these bracelets for their representation of the cyclical nature of time and their allusion to earlier decades when the availability of food depended on one's location and the specific season. In the example at hand the figural decoration is distinct and...

Matching the "festoon with teardrops" necklace I recently sold, this set of earrings by the Los Castillo workshop is truly glamorous! I love the flair of the bifurcated element at the top with its curvaceous central semi-sphere which mirrors the sculptural elegance of the teardrop. And, please, note the playful articulation of the semi-circular links forming the main dangle. Aren't they just a pleasure? The earrings measure 1 3/4" long by 1 1/4" wide and weigh 17.5 grams (for the set). They are ...

The "less-is-more" philosophy of modernism and the classic, for Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance, marriage of silver and amethyst come together in this minimalist by-pass ring signed by Doris Corpus Artisans. A daring, Texas-born American who decided to move to Mexico in the 1940s, Doris Smith Chamberlin had her own workshop by 1945 and her commitment to perfection and inspired design resulted in the creation of some truly exceptional jewelry. I have in the past offered examples of the work c...

A masterfully crafted, meticulously finished frame of sterling lily pads accented with tiny beading and elegant little wire swirls surrounds a flat-top amethyst gem in the vintage studio ring I am presenting here. This type of silver-work and the specific foliate motif is easily identified as created by Mary Gage, one of the most talented - and indeed most eccentric - silversmiths of the late American Arts and Crafts movement. I have had a few pieces by Gage over the years - she does not seem to...

A fabulous example of Taxco modernism by Los Ballesteros, this vintage Mexican silver and amethyst bracelet is as beautiful to look at as it is comfortable to wear. A couple of days ago I presented another creation by the same workshop and I will suggest that the two pieces are representative of their line of medium-width modernist link bracelets. In the last few years, I have come to realize that the Los Ballesteros maestros succeeded in pushing their ranking higher and higher up in my hierarch...

One of the classiest and most classic Mexican Deco jewelry designs, the "shield" necklace is associated with the names of Fred Davis and Abraham Paz but has also been made by other, contemporary maestros both anonymous and "less celebrated". Our sterling and dyed green calcite example belongs in the latter group but, as I have pointed out many times in the past, its "anonymity" does not take away at all from its craftsmanship and good looks. I am fascinated by the myriad of ways in which calcite...

Highly stylized foliate links cut out of thick gauge silver sheet and deeply hand-chased comprise this modernist Taxco sterling bracelet. The central station houses a faceted glass gem, its crystal clear, icy blue color eye-catching and evocative of wintry landscapes. This is a piece signed by one of those early Mexican maestros about whom we don’t know much more than where they worked and when they were active. The jewelry they created is their legacy, however, and judging by the craftsmanshi...