Carved in translucent amethyst the “mask” adorning the Piedra y Plata silver ring presented here bespeaks Felipe Martinez’s talent as a sculptor. His jewelry, always combining sterling with the most amazing stones, showcases some of the best lapidary work in the world of vintage Mexican jewelry and his “masks”, I consider some of the most evocative, spiritual examples in the field...

Measuring 19 1/2" long this stunning piece was designed by Frederick Davis c.1930-40's. The necklace weighs 75 grams and is comprised of jade beads and hand tooled silver balls of graduated size. The largest silver ball is 1/2". The largest jade beads are 3/4" long. The silver balls appear not to have been polished for decades and the patina is gorgeous. A few pin head size dings noticed on close inspection with a loupe...

Two exquisitely detailed birds (probably vultures, and very Egyptian-looking) embrace an opal cabochon. This is an Egyptian Revival watch pin made of 14 k gold. The original catch has been replaced with a more modern safety catch. The pin is 1 1/2" wide by 5/8" high and dates ~1880.

Here is an amazingly detailed dragon or griffin stick pin with a tiny accent diamond in her mouth. She tests as 14k gold, and measures 5/8 x 1/2" with a total length of 2-1/8". She weighs in at 2.4g. In excellent condition and circa 1900. Display your inner fantasy or mythology geek on your lapel - or simply your love of beauty and history. The photos are part of the description, so please examine them carefully. Thanks! We do lay-away. Shipping, handling & insurance within the USA included.

Antonio Pineda cuffs don't surface very often and this specific design is even more difficult to find. An ode to the art of a-symmetry, the cuff is wrought in the maestro's favorite fine ,.970 alloy and quite substantial. The stone that adorns its widest end, rich in greens and blues, is agate, I think, but it might be a very special kind of turquoise as well. Warm patina, perfectly conveyed less-is-more attitude and Antonio's exquisite finishing are all present here to please the eye...

A stunning Antonio Pineda modernist bracelet, its rectangular, slick links held together with bezel-set carnelian connectors, each one of which features a daringly protruding silver “tongue”. I love the gutsyness of the design and the mischievous sense of humor behind it but I am also taken with the rich color in the stones which changes hue as it responds to the changing light...

Made in the very late 1940s or in the opening years of the 1950s at the latest, this Marcel Boucher sterling silver necklace is a Mexican piece from the renowned designer’s “Parisina” line. Parisina pieces are not easy to find - Boucher had them made in Mexico for a few years around WWII because the war effort had put restrictions in the availability and use of silver. Yet this specific design, I have never encountered before ...

An early Mexico City (I will suggest) maestro, P. Ochoa must have been a contemporary of Matilde Poulat’s and M. Velazquez’s. His work, wrought in the same “Mexico City” style of repoussage which for me represents the country’s Arts and Crafts version in jewelry-making, is very rare to come upon but, I think, of the highest quality...

Handwrought in the early 1940's, this trapezoid design by Spratling measures 17" long and 1" high. The panels catch and reflect light beautifully as the wearer moves about. The necklace is in excellent condition. Spratling hallmarks are found on the slide-in clasp and on one panel.

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...

Here is a lovely Victorian cameo, set in flourishes of yellow gold and decorated with 4 pearls. The background is a slightly darker pink than the lady. The attention to detail in the carving is very nice, and she is in excellent condition. There is one missing pearl, but it’s unnoticeable. It seems to say “SIG” in script across the back. The bale is signed with “10K” inside what looks like a stylized “C”. It measures 1-13/16” not including the bail, by 1”...

This brilliant vintage squash blossom necklace is anecdotally from the 1950s but stylistically typical of the 1970s (the leaves surrounding the turquoise cabochons were popular at that period.) It is sterling silver and turquoise but unmarked. The 1/4” sterling beads are bench-made. The necklace is 27” in length, with a naja that measures 2 5/8 in width by 3 inches in length. The necklace is set with 17 turquoises...

Circa mid-century, this heavy chunky modernist onyx ring was produced by Antonio Pineda.

It's a rarely seen design, wide, solid, and absolutely killer, with inlaid onyx in a 970 silver setting.

Measures a 6 on a ring sizer. The side is quite wide, so may fit a little more snug than that...

One of my favorite sub-genres in the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry includes those early Deco repousse brooches wrought in the usually referred to as the “Mexico City style”, the most famous proponent of which is, undoubtedly, Matilde Poulat. Quite often anonymous, as in our case, these pieces can be fascinatingly weird, at times even bordering on the surreal. Who is this bearded man with the thick facial features, his eyes cast down as if in intense concentration, and what is this ...

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. I believe that this brooch comes out of a line of similar brooches Beckmann created, sometimes using anci...

In the last couple of years I found myself drawn closer and closer to the jewelry created by the Los Ballesteros workshop. I am especially attracted to their “mask” pieces in all the forms they can be found as well as to what I like to call their “hinged bangle” bracelets. I consider both kinds the absolute jewel in the taller’s creative crown and it seems that there is always something new and different to discover. The perfectly carved tiger’s eye “Joker” pendant is a piece I h...

Here is a pretty woman’s face in profile. Her long golden hair trails down to end with a tiny baroque or freshwater pearl. Total length of the face, hair and pearl a little less than 3/4”. This design was based on a drawing by Charles Dana Gibson – a Gibson Girl! (See the final photograph.) It is marked 14k, weighs 1.2g, and is in excellent condition. It doesn’t have a maker’s mark, but we have seen this same stick pin with Alling’s mark. Circa 1910. The photos are part of the descr...

Symbols of hope for fresh, new beginnings swallows are an integral part of the advent of Spring in my home country and I grew up waiting for a glimpse of their bifurcated tails and soft, white bellies as a sign that the end of the school year and the fun-filled days on the beach were not far away. In Victorian symbolism the birds express enduring love and loyalty and the promise of a safe return back home and it is these hopes the set of Mexican silver earrings at hand encapsulates. Very sculptu...

Based in Mexico City Plateria FarFan created some of the most impressive and well-made collar necklaces, many in the multi-row "mesh" style and others in puzzle “Cleopatra style” designs. The necklace presented here is one of the latter, a pretty handsome one at that and a favorite of mine for the comfortable, just-at-home way in lies around the neck. I consider myself most lucky because I have also the matching bracelet to it and even though the two will be listed separately, there is nothi...

With delicately carved features, this silver and tiger’s eye Egyptian Revival “Cleopatra” bolo tie is a small work of art that came out of the Los Ballesteros workshop. One of the best - and definitely the most persistent - Taxco talleres involved in the creation of exquisite “mask” jewelry, the Los Ballesteros used an array of semi-precious and hard- stones to create serene, out-of-this-world effigies for brooches, rings, bracelets and pendants. This is, however, my first bolo tie b...

Here is a delightful lioness with emerald-green glass eyes, and a diamond in her mouth. The detailing of her face – whiskers, mane, etc. - are very nicely done. She is made from unmarked but tested 14kt yellow gold. Her head measures 1/2” x 5/8”, and the total length is 2-3/4”. The pin is very straight, which is rather unusual! In excellent antique condition. Circa 1900. The photos are part of the description. Please examine them carefully. Thanks! We do lay-away. Shipping, handling &...

Ethereal, barely touching the ground, light as a feather and lost in the music to which she is dancing, this vintage Marcel Boucher ballerina was crafted in the mid-1940s in Mexico for the renowned designer’s Parisina line. Wrought in sterling, she has a teardrop piece of lapis for her bodice and she is magnificent. Generous in size though light enough to be worn on a silk blouse, the brooch has all the qualities of the best minimalist designs - economy of lines, honesty of materials and stron...

Steeped in ancient Italian lore, the “cimaruta” pendant might have started its life in the world of magic yet somewhere along its long life, it became adopted as a talisman warding off the “evil eye” and protecting against witchcraft in general. The Flli Coppini example presented here dates in the first decades of the 20th c. and is the next best alternative to the impossible to obtain ancient pieces. Coupled with an appropriate for the genre chain with many figural links, as you can see...

Inspired by ancient Inca motifs this 1950s Industria Peruana silver and 18k yellow gold necklace is a classic example of the best jewelry that came out of Peru around the middle of the 20th c.. Hand-hammered sterling links feature figural appliques on their slightly concave faces, the same combination of silver and gold also used to form the circular connectors. Craftsmanship of the highest quality and attention to detail and finishing have contributed to Industria’s reputation - along with Gr...

I have said many times in the past that I consider the Los Ballesteros workshop Taxco’s foremost creator of the so-called “mask” jewelry. And among their best are their hinged bangle bracelets, a fantastic example of which I am presenting here. The effigy is carved out of tiger’s eye, a stone which creates a magical sensation with its molten gold, glistening caramel and rich chocolate browns. Serene under its heavy, ornate headdress the “face” looks as if in deep sleep, its features ...

A trained sculptor, Felipe Martinez created some of the most amazing “mask” jewelry in the golden period of Mexico’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance. His ability to work with precious metal and stone is astounding, the two materials becoming like one whole in his inlaid designs while in his “mask” creations turning into living, breathing figures in a deeply serene sleep. I am particularly excited to present this combination pin/pendant necklace here not only because of the absolute beauty o...

Here is a fantastic necklace, in the style of Murrle, Bennett and other Arts & Crafts designers of high renown. It is unsigned, which is not unusual. It features a central silver panel with a big labradorite cab, 3/4” x 9/16”. The whole panel with dangles measures 13/16” x 1-7/8”. The wearable length is 24”, and there are 20” worth of labradorite beads, most having the distinctive and beautiful blue flash for which that stone is known. The clasp has a very pretty flower and leaf desi...

Trained as a sculptor Felipe Martinez, the founder of Piedra y Plata, is one of the best lapidaries in the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry. There is a liquid perfection that characterizes the way he fuses stone and precious metal together and the serenity on his carved “masks” seems to be flowing in from a different dimension. In the modernist bracelet at hand it is golden sheen obsidian cut in curved rectangles that adorns the thick sterling links and I could never exaggerate the in...

Here is a lovely orchid brooch, made from richly-colored, unmarked but tested, 10kt yellow gold. It has excellent detailing, an old European cut diamond (approximately 1/3 of a carat), and a fan pearl. Weighing in at 2.6g, it measures 1” by about 7/8”, is very dimensional, and very Art Nouveau. It is unmarked, but we believe it was made in Newark, NJ based on its construction. (Newark was a hub of jewelry makers around the turn of the last century, including many well-known and collectible o...

Here is a romantic stick pin for your lapel, depicting a woman in profile with a pearl nestled into the curls of her hair. It would make a great gift for a man or a woman, or a sweet addition to your own collection. Marked 14k, it’s made from yellow gold, and signed by the maker, Whiteside & Blank. It measures 2-3/8”, and weighs 2.0g. The pin is slightly bent, and the back is dented a little, but this doesn’t detract from the beauty of this enchanting jewel when worn. Historical note: Mr....

Without a doubt the “queen” of vintage Mexican silver jewelry, Matilde Poulat was an exceptional designer and, in my humble opinion, one of the country’s artists who, in their work, expressed the philosophy of the Arts and Crafts movement. Her highly textured repoussage allows us to follow the silversmith’s hand as it slides over the metal thus affording us, to an extent, a glimpse of the creative process. Most of her bracelets are big, bold and daring - her jewelry in general commanding...

Better than wearing your heart on your sleeve is this lovely silver bracelet with seventeen charms. The bracelet is 7 1/4" long and is sterling. It bears a maker's mark for GJ Ltd. The charms are clearly a collection made over time. There are charms made of sterling, 800 silver, and silver plate. There are padlocks, puffy hearts, plain hearts, and flowered hearts...even a heart locket. The bracelet dates from the 1950s.

This elegant, hand wrought sterling silver necklace was designed and signed c. 1940's by Taxco, Mexico artist William Spratling. Measuring 20 1/2" long & 1 inch wide the necklace weighs 100 grams. Beautiful condition and patina. This design is pictured on p. 46 of MEXICAN SILVER by Penny Morrill and Carole Berk. Looks great with casual or dress. Spratling designs are the central focus of the permanent 20th century Mexican silver collection at Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Early and quite hard to find, this Los Castillo silver repousse bracelet is comprised of lusciously sculpted, wide feather links. A dream to wear, I love it for the scrolled edges of each feather and the way the links alternate their orientation adding drama to the design. The bracelet measures a wearable 7" long and it is 1 1/2" wide. It weighs 52.9 grams and has a safety chain as well. It is fully and appropriately signed with the early Los Castillo signature in straight capital letters and be...

The smaller version of this particular design, this set of vintage Margot de Taxco earrings reminds me of elaborate woven baskets. The repoussage here is very sculptural and the beading in combination with the wonderful patina the set has acquired over the years accentuates its three-dimensional appeal. Eye-catching without being visually overwhelming, it is easy to wear and will hold its own whatever the occasion you chose it for. The earrings are 1 3/8” long by 1 1/8” wide and weigh 11`....

Casting of very good quality, a huge amethyst gemstone and a long chain with figural links combine in this Italian Peruzzi style pendant necklace to create one of those pieces that collectors covet and all of us dream about. I believe we have here a convergence of two Revival movements - Classical Revival in the sterling chain with its theater mask links and Gothic Revival with the two dragons flanking that amazing amethyst. I particularly love the big spring ring clasp that allows you to easily...