The name of Plateria Cortes, a Taxco retail store is often found on jewelry signed by Enrique Ledesma and this is the case with the modernist sterling silver and green stone necklace at hand. This type of curved trapezoid links embellished with inlay is a signature design for the maestro yet here there are two sections of stone in each station which is a welcome variation that does not come up as often as the typical single segment...

This lovely pair of handmade silver earrings designed by Taxco, Mexico artist Hector Aguilar measure 1 3/4" x 1 3/4" and weigh 21 grams. Each earring is accented with a turquoise cab. All five of the earring hoops move freely. The screw backs are in fine working order. The earrings are in beautiful condition with a soft aged patina. Fully hallmarked HA 940 TAXCO with eagle #9.

There is nothing simplistic or facile about Francisco Rivera’s jewelry! A maestro who loved overlay, paid attention to detail and finishing, created pieces that cry out to be held and touched and enjoyed he is, in my opinion, still to be recognized as the talented, inspired silversmith and designer that he was...

The “enfant terrible” of Mexican silver jewelry design, Hubert Harmon moved to Mexico in 1941 where he created some fabulous and definitely quirky, statement-making pieces. I am tempted to call the big brooch presented here “the captive of love” - and I apologize if my appellation borders dangerously on the …cheesy...

It’s been a while since I offered an example of Margot de Taxco’s zodiac jewelry and I am thrilled to be presenting this substantial Gemini pendant necklace here. Zodiac jewelry were popular with many Mexican maestros yet in my opinion, Margot’s creations surpass those of all her contemporaries. Sculptural, big and bold, they can be found as charms to be coupled with chain necklaces and enjoyed as pendants, like here, or dangling off the substantial bracelets she designed for that purpose...

One of Margot de Taxco’s most romantic, delicately elegant yet still eye-catching and beautifully made necklaces, the “foliate bow” is characterized by generous micro-beading accented by just the right touch of oxidation. The chain’s riveted links rest perfectly around the neck while the intricately woven central station brings to mind earlier, Old World “lovers’ knot” jewelry...

Not very easy to find the specific design of modernist Taxco sterling silver and gemstone earrings by Enrique Ledesma features two generously-sized, color-change sapphires. Mimicking the behavior of alexandrites which change color under different light conditions, the gems are often referred to as “synthetic alexandrites” within the context of vintage Mexican silver jewelry. Yet they are in fact synthetic corundum and at best, they should be identified as “alexandrite simulants”...

A prolific maestro and one of Taxco’s best modernists, Sigi Pineda enjoyed a long, fruitful career and his jewelry is loved and sought after by aficionados of vintage Mexican jewelry. Made of sterling silver in an asymmetrical design, this hinged bangle bracelet plays with geometry and juxtaposes the shiny surface of the metal with the deep blackness of the stone. Eye-catching, beautifully made, very very mod - and a version of Sigi’s hinged bracelets that doesn’t come up very often...

An absolutely stunning table-cut citrine adorns this massive Carmen Beckmann Mexican silver ring. The gem, its color traveling from refreshing lemon to saturated yellow as the light changes, is lifted above the finger in a terraced setting with geometric cut-outs...

It is not often that one finds an Enrique Ledesma ring and this modernist beauty is made even more desirable by the big color-change sapphire that adorns it. The gem has a table-cut type of shape and mimicking the behavior of alexandrites, it changes color under different light conditions traveling from deep amethyst to steely purple. I love the highly stylized setting - to my eyes it reads like silver fingers holding on to the stone as it rests on a willing palm...

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...

Housing a polished obsidian cabochon with warm, shimmering golden depths this vintage Mexican silver bracelet bears the signature of Sigi Pineda, one of Taxco’s foremost modernist designers. A prolific creator, Sigi was at his best when he worked within the confines of minimalism - the bracelet presented here, a hinged bangle, is just such an example...

This lariat solid silver rope necklace is extremely elegant with a width of .25 inch. There is a clamp also hand made to fit this necklace and lock it in place where ever you wish it to hold. The tassels have the fine strands of chain with satin finish balls. With a weight of 93 grams it displays great beauty. The length with the tassels is approximately 42 dramatic inches. Also this jewel has no damage of any kind...

Modernist sterling ring by Erika Hult de Corral (Ric), this rather rare to find design combines silver in two finishes with richly colored malachite and two small, deep blue lapis cabochons. I am very excited to have found this piece, especially since I recently sold the matching earrings to it (you can use the search feature to see them, if you wish). A talented designer and one of the few known female contributors to Mexico’s 20th c...

I don’t usually venture into the 1980s with vintage Mexican silver jewelry but Erika Hult de Corral is one of the few instances in which the general rule is broken. A Paris-educated, talented modernist with a distinct brutalist strain in her designs, Ric (as she signs her pieces) worked with Sigi Pineda and Enrique Ledesma before she opened her own workshop. She kept making jewelry into the 1980s, past the demise of most of Taxco’s early talleres, and the dangle earrings at hand are such an ...

7.5 inches long Vintage William Spratling bracelet made in first phase of the Mexican Silver Renaissance and projects a timeless design. .75 inches tall and constructed with the open backed repousse technique. There is glare in the photos but this jewel has no dents or damage with some patina. It closes with a fold over clasp that is firm. The weight is 39 grams of higher than 925 silver and strength is given to the bracelet with the bending to the silver. A pleasure to wear. The hallmark is cl...

Perfectly carved and housed in a monumental sterling silver setting, this vintage Los Ballesteros “mask” ring is definitely a statement-making piece. For me it is all the more appealing because the stone changes color as one descends from the “mask’s” forehead to the chin, going from purple to a semi-translucent white. The effect is visually attractive as it somehow bestows age and wisdom to the tranquil face. Currently a sz 5 US (a good jeweler could re-size it, if needed) the ring ha...

Classic, simple elegance is displayed in this phase 1, William Spratling Necklace. The lack of o rings in construction lends itself to a fluid look. Properly hallmarked and showing the 92 rubbed from the making with the 5 showing. It is heavy repousse and is 66 grams of quality. There is 16.25 in. of wearable length. It is built on a slant and lays beautifully. The height at it's tallest is half an inch. A beautiful addition for collectors with no damage and a heavy natural patina, LOOK AT THAT ...

One of the most talented Taxco maestros, Francisco Rivera trained in Spratling's Las Delicias and as a mature maestro he created jewelry for Emma Melendez in addition to having his own line. Rivera is one of those artists a collector / lover of vintage Mexican silver does not discover immediately. One has to train one's eye first and develop the sophistication that allows one to go looking beyond the "big" signatures in order to discover amazing examples of "wearable treasures" made by less cele...

Huge, meticulously worked, with such detail and rich presence this Mexican Deco sterling silver bird of paradise is one of my absolutely favorite brooch designs. I have to admit that I really love brooches - I seek them out and try to find the best examples for One Good Eye Silver and it doesn't matter to me if they are "in" or not at the specific point in time. Brooches are classy; they can be delicate and romantic; and they can be bold and beautiful. This bird-of-paradise is open-back repousse...

Perfect for the medium to smaller wrist, this vintage modernist Enrique Ledesma hinged bracelet features a big, asymmetrical medallion with green stone inlay in the "mozaico Azteca" tradition of the Los Castillo. The transition from stone to metal is seamless and if one looks closely (in the photos it is more evident thanks to the macro lens), one can see evidence of the maestro's polishing wheel that brought the two surfaces together in a perfectly smooth union. The bracelet has a 6" inner circ...

Big, with pronounced repoussage, a series of beautiful turquoise cabs crowning the crest of the creature's shell, this vintage Mexican Deco figural brooch was most probably made in the country's capital as its workmanship indicates. This type of "high relief", textured repousse jewelry is reminiscent of Matilde Poulat's techniques and closely associated with Mexico City maestros. Here, the texturing is not as predominant as in other pieces yet if one looks closely, one can see the silversmith's ...

A most unusual Mexican Deco necklace, this Mexico City figural example falls under several categories. Its links are inlaid with azur-malachite in the Los Castillo "mozaico azteca" style but it also belongs in the "mask" jewelry sub-genre thanks to the repousse portrait adorning the central station. And even though this is not a work from Taxco and its maker is, for all intents and purposes, an "unsung" contributor to Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance, the "mask" itself is based on an early An...

One of Enrique Ledesma's signature designs, the necklace at hand is a must-have for the collector because of the rare color agate used to complete the trapezoid links. Most frequently found with black onyx, obsidian and green stones (chrysocolla or chrysoprase) this is an ode to "less-is-more" necklace and to come upon an example with this rich, reddish brown agate is a real treat. Perfectly cut - after all, Ledesma was one of Taxco's best lapidaries - the stone is cool and smooth to the touch, ...

Celia Harms known for her work with gemstones has 12 stones on each half of this bracelet. All different colors with most being Mexican fire opals. The height of the bracelet is 2.5 inches and the diameter is 2.75 inches. This is one of her earlier works as it is closed with a barrel and pin. The patina is lovely and there is no damage. It has quite a presence with a weight of 107 grams. This fits like a bangle on the wrist. It would be hard to make this art piece for the offered price with all ...

Light and airy this vintage Hector Aguilar foliate brooch looks almost like an anatomical leaf study in fine, .940 silver. I think it is a fern leaf that is presented in its absolutely bare essentials yet the stem's playful curve and the graduated lessening of the pin's width as it proceeds from base to leaf tip impart a pleasantly deceiving illusion of sculpturality. Easy to wear, soothing on the eye, perfect for the time when trees put on their fall colors. The brooch measures 3 3/8" tall by 1...

Perfectly carved obsidian teardrops with shimmering golden depths and high purity silver combine in this modernist Antonio Pineda set of dangle earrings. There is an innate elegance in the way the silver embraces the volcanic glass, like slender flames of a hot fire emanating from black coals. In the darkness, you only see the silver; in the light it is only the obsidian that catches the eye. Antonio at one of his best moments, I believe. The earrings measure 1 3/4" long by just shy of 5/8" wide...

The signatures of Chato Castillo and Ingrid's combine on this exquisite Mexican Deco silver fan pendant necklace - neither is a a common occurrence and both are synonymous with imaginative design and high quality. Chato is reported to have been the driving adventurous force behind most of the Los Castillo innovations - the revival of ancient techniques, the experimentation with materials - while Ingrid's still remains among the elusive early Taxco retailers. Monumental in its proportions, the pe...

Intricately constructed this hand wrought 940 sterling silver necklace was designed by Taxco, Mexico artist Hector Aguilar. Rarely seen on the market it is 20 1/2" long x 1/4" wide and weighs a comfortable 55 grams. It’s in beautiful condition with a tight & secure slide-in clasp. Fully hallmarked HA 940 TAXCO and TALLER Borda and Aguilar's eagle # 9. Hector Aguilar designs are included in permanent museum collections including MFA Boston & LACMA.

The presence is big with this Aguilar design. Each link is woven into a tied bow with thick, dimensional, ribbons of silver. Really beautiful natural patina Each is hand chased and finished with a dimpled dot in the center which is iconic in his use. 18 inches long and 7/8th of an inch tall of quality workmanship. 125 grams with no damage or repairs. Take this jewel anywhere, just LOOK AT THAT NECKLACE!

The quintessential Art Deco designer, Abraham Paz is one of the earliest maestros of Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance. He worked in Mexico City and many of the designs we associate with Fred Davis are actually Paz's creations. His minimalist "masks", shield-form links and tiered ring settings epitomize the elegant geometry the 1920s and 1930s are known for while also foreshadowing the less-is-more attitude of modernism. Pinky-size yet easily resizable, the ring I am presenting here is adorned...

Piedra y Plata was the name of Felipe Martinez's taller. He was known for his incredible stone work. He sourced gorgeous stones for his treasures he produced and I believe the stones here are Chrysocolla. They have natural matrix running through out. This bracelet is 7 inches long and 1 inch tall. The patina is rich and natural. With a weight of 50 grams of thick silver Martinez has produced a tasteful,streamline size full of details. There is no damage. A superb piece just, LOOK AT THAT NECKLA...

Big and beautifully aged this floral sterling silver Hector Aguilar brooch is representative of the 1940s' love affair with all motifs from nature. The flower is here layered, with deep hand-chased details in the petals and foliage, a strong curving stem and cluster of small beads right at its center. I love the way the bloom is wide open, its face turned to the sun, taking in light and heat and turning it to color, aromas and beauty for our visual enjoyment. The brooch measuress 3 1/4" tall by ...

When it comes to impressive pendant necklaces with a distinct "ethnic" twist, the Los Ballesteros signature is what one has to look for within the field of vintage Mexican silver. Their designs are amazing not just for their proportions but also for their quality of materials and impeccable craftsmanship. This sunburst example with color-change sapphire (synthetic corundum) hanging off the hand-made sterling chain of the same vintage I have had several times in the past but I never tire of it. T...

Fred Davis signed shields is an iconic design with this one being the largest size at 1.25 inches tall with most of that height being big stones. Eighteen inches of length provide a roomy fit. The weight is 166 grams of quality. This design is published in the books by Penny Morrill on Mexican Silver. The condition is without damage or repairs. Please note that the pictures are reflecting glare on the stones. There are no striations that come to the surface. They range from jelly clear to milky ...

We are offering today an early example of Mexico City Folk art that displays an original design signed JGD. The turquoise is of desirable colors. The amethyst glows with color and the center stones are rare faceted cuts. The wearable length is a comfortable 17 inches. With a width of 1.75 inches and a weight of 180 grams there is a stunning presence. I can not do justice with my photographs of how beautiful this treasure is, just LOOK AT THAT NECKLACE!