Flamboyantly Deco with that exotic air of the fearsome Saracen and his lethal scimitar, a vintage Mexican silver brooch, big and stunning and almost like out of a period movie. I am drawn to the architecturality of the elaborate headdress, the stern expression in the carved jade face and the oh, so appropriate figural pommel. The brooch measures 3 1/4" tall by 3 1/2" wide and weighs 27.2 grams...

With its beginnings in 1911, in Providence, Rhode Island, the Uncas Manufacturing Company is known for its high quality rings.The Deco example presented here shows how inventive the company was in its combination of materials and geometric designs. A stunning oblong, tiered sterling silver face with all the bells and whistles of a Deco ring is studded with glistening marcasites. The little stones surround a domed rectangular agate (I believe) with saturated blues, greens and brows...

Eye-catching Deco Chinese silver filigree ring adorned with a bezel set turquoise in a towering setting and a row of wirework flowers surrounding it. I believe the enamel here is referred to as Canton since it is applied "free-hand" and not in cloisons. This is indeed a showy piece, with beautiful colors and in excellent condition. It is currently a comfortable sz 6 but it has an open shank so it's adjustable...

Set in a rectangular raised bezel accented by twist-rope wire decoration and two repousse spheres at either side the carved coral insert adorning this ring is simply a pleasure to look at. Featuring a bird perched on a flowering branch it is richly colored and equally rich in detail. The ring is a comfortable size 6 but easily re-sizeable. Its face measures 13/16" by 11/16" (not including the spheres) and its weight is 4.9 grams...

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...

Definitely not for the faint of heart an impressive, true "show stopper" pair of dangle earrings bearing the signature of the Los Ballesteros taller. An early pair, pre-1948, with a bold pretzel-like swing and strong movement that is also reflected in the repousse swirl covering the face of the screw-backs. The earrings are 2 1/4" long and 1 7/8" wide (at their widest)...

A gorgeous example of my favorite Ledesma work this is a pair of earrings that illustrates in the best possible way the maestro's magic touch in the seamless combination of silver and stone. Resembling highly stylized calla lilies, the earrings curve and curl to reach their pointy height. The color of the malachite is saturated and its polished surface just perfect. Each earrings is just shy of 1 1/4" tall by 3/4" wide (at its widest) and the set's weight registers at 11.8 grams...

A vintage Antonio Pineda tie clip out of the designer's mod line that combined oxidized silver with pearls. Very slick, understatedly elegant and in excellent condition with an obligingly tight spring. The clip measures 1 1/2" long by 3/8" wide and it weighs 9.7 grams...

Signed by a maker who still remains unidentified, a Deco link bracelet with diamond-shaped tortoise shell inlay. I find the interlocking hearts of the design particularly endearing and love the way the shell's warm caramel colors reflect on the aged silver. Perfect for medium to smaller wrists the bracelet is 6 3/4" long (wearable) by 1 1/8" wide...

Undoubtedly inspired by Margot de Taxco's Koi Fish line, a pair of early Antonio Reina repousse earrings showing playful fish among stylized silver waves. I can't get over the detail in this set - just note the depth of the repoussage, the detail in the scales and the hand-hammering in the waves themselves to render them three-dimensional. The earrings are 1 5/8" long by 15/16" wide and weigh 8.4 grams (for the set)...

Exquisitely made and having acquired a fantastic patina over the years the vintage Deco Chinese brass necklace offered here boasts a multitude of floral charms in graduated sizes. Framed by perfect brass circles the charms are covered in sky blue, cobalt and iron red enamels - even the clasp is embellished with a floral and geometric motif! Beautiful, old Chinese craftsmanship that is very difficult to emulate today... Measuring 18 1/4" long by 3/4" wide (width of the circular links)...

Early Mexican Deco silver repousse brooch in the Mexico City style, which is very reminiscent of Matilde Poulat's techniques...

Beautiful Chinese Art Nouveau silver brooch in an open-backed repousse foliate design having a carved carnelian "button" bezel set at its center. The stone has interesting color variation and the carving shows a flower and a pear, I believe. Masterfully and carefully executed, this is a brooch of high quality indeed - just note that the carnelian is backed with silver and the piercing in the stone is also transferred to the backing. Measuring 3" wide by 1 3/8" tall it weighs 16.0 grams and is i...

The daughter of celebrated Taxco silversmith and designer Antonio Castillo, Mimi learned the art of jewelry design and production from the best and the most talented. While continuing the long and spectacular tradition of the original taller, her innovative creations are also reflective of our 21st century realities and add a mod twist to the Los Castillo repertoire. The dangle heart earrings presented here are, I believe, a good example of this marriage of old and established to the new and ...

Vintage 1950s hand-wrought copper cuff bracelet signed by Casa Maya, a Mexico City based taller, with a cloisonne style bull head applied on its face, decorated in green enamels. A signature piece for Maya, also pictured in Sandy Hargrove's recent book on the subject, showy and definitely intense. The cuff's inner circumference is 7 1/4" long (including the 3/4" gap) and its width varies between 2 5/8" in the front and 1 3/4" in the back. It is signed with the company's impressed name and is...