An iconic modernist motif for Mexican silver jewelry, the "fish bone" or "skeleton" seems to have inspired "big names" (Antonio Pineda and the Los Castillo being among them) and less known yet talented maestros alike. I have seen it all in silver and with stone inlay but I have never had an enameled example before. Yet here it is - electric blue champleve enamel in perfect condition; just the color you want to wear when you go to the beach this upcoming summer...

Spectacular hinged repousse bangle bracelet with yellow gold appliques all around it, two of them figural; the profile of Moctezuma and the Mexican coat-of-arms. The two metals combine perfectly on this piece - the gold has mellowed over the years and its patina matches the warm glow of the stippled and chased silver. The bracelet has an inner circumference of 7 1/4" and it's 1" wide...

Vintage Mexican silver charm bracelet with a dangling, three-dimensional blowfish charm hanging off it, all executed in the Etruscan style that features a profusion of florets and beading. It is 7 3/8" long (wearable; total lenght is just shy of 7 7/8") by 11/16" wide (the diameter of the domes) while the fish charm is 1/2" by 7/8" and will add a 3/4" drop to the bracelet...

What a rare find for the committed collector of early Taxco jewelry - a fantastic "Hands and Tulips" cuff bracelet in a never-seen-before baby size! This is a spectacular piece if only to exhibit it as an example of miniature art! Incredibly detailed and very careful repousse with crisp outlines in the execution of the little hands; the tulips themselves are carved out of green art glass; the patina is to die for and the dog bone ends of the cuff perfectly shaped...

Featuring repousse "palomas y rosas" links, one of Matilde Poulat's favorite and definitely signature designs, an early 1930s masterfully done Mexico City bracelet. The central rose link is flanked by two detailed doves, which in turn are followed by smaller roses. Distinctly Mexican, drawing on the country's rich folk imagery, and perfect for smaller to medium wrists...

The primary designer for Rancho Alegre, Miguel Martinez is a maestro whose work I have come to value for its imaginative design, superb quality and extremely careful finishing. Monumental both in terms of its dimensions but also due to its weight, the cuff at hand is heavy, with thick overlay and oxidation that accentuates its architecturality. A true work of art that combines Taxco's early love for pre-Colombian motifs with Martinez's prowess in silver overlay...

One of the most accomplished Taxco maestros, Miguel Melendez ranks high among my favorite mod designers, his creations successfully combining minimalist motifs with exceptional craftsmanship and gorgeous, faceted gems. The hinged bracelet at hand is adorned with three prong-set amethysts, the stems upon which they rest rising above stylized sterling leaves...

I am really fond of these "clamshell" modernist bracelets that came out of Taxco in the mid-1940s and 1950s! In fact, I am very partial to the whole line of jewelry in that design - from necklaces to rings to pendants, brooches and earrings...

Signed by one of my favorite less "celebrated" maestros a rare, very impressive bracelet adorned with a hand-carved sky blue agate figurine of a seahorse. I like to call the specific maker "the heart artist" because his signature (I am assuming we are talking about a man!) consists of the initials A and E in a heart-shaped "M". Not much is known about him though he is listed...

Early Sigi Pineda combination pin/pendant necklace from the first years of his independent career, when his taller was still called "Plateros". Nested in a biomorphic concave "shell", the minimalist figure of a man playing a green stone drum (at least to my eyes) hangs from a tube link chain. The work has Sigi's abstract design signature and exudes a raw animism that catches the eye and the imagination...

Among the less celebrated early Taxco maestros, Del Rio's work is characterized by rather classic, geometric designs in which he embeds hardstones, art glass and abalone...

Combining ancient pre-Conquest motifs and Christian decorative elements the cross of San Juan Yalalag from Oaxaca is one of the most sought after folk art crosses from Central America. Presented here is a truly monumental example of exceptional quality that successfully marries the Yalalag cross with the craftsmanship of Etruscan-style jewelry and a sweet tiger's eye cabochon set at its very center...