Referred to as the “shells” or sometimes even “snails” bracelet, Margot de Taxco’s des. 5104 is a series of fleshy, perfectly swirling repousse links that feel so comfortable around the wrist, you might take them as an extension of your body. The example at hand vibrates with that warm light only well-aged, well-loved silver acquires and the thick sterling sheet used to craft the bracelet has allowed it to mature without burdening it with the scars and blemishes of age...

Ultimately modernist in its approach to personal adornment, with Enrique Ledesma's signature perfection in the marriage of silver and stone, a necklace and earrings set with triangular links of sterling framing richly colored azur-malachite. Honesty of materials, craftsmanship of the highest level and immaculate finishing create a superb example of Taxco lapidary and silversmithing prowess. The necklace measures 15 3/4" long (wearable) by 5/8" wide while the clip-back earrings are 7/8" by 3/4"...

Elegant branch coral and sterling silver pin or brooch designed and signed circa 1930-40's by Taxco, Mexico designer Matilde Poulat. Poulat signed her work Matl, a variation of the Aztec word for water. Pin measures 1 1/2" X 1 1/2". Beautiful condition, signed on the back Matl 0.925 HECHO EN MEXICO. This early piece was designed and made before Poulat's passing in 1960. A similar design of this pin is pictured on p.221 of MEXICAN SILVER by Penny Morrill and Carole Berk.

Stupendously beautiful, a vintage Deco Mexican silver bracelet that is not for the faint of heart! This is one of the most impressive, visually stunning examples of Mexico's early 20th c. jewelry I have seen. Its tall panels are profusely decorated with wirework and beading and set with two yummy, big amethyst cabochons each. Early as its pin-style clasp reveals and absolutely breath-taking it measures 7 3/4" in inner circumference (clasped) by 2 1/2" wide and weighs a whopping 179.6 grams...

Rancho Alegre featured Miguel Martinez as a principle designer and this is an early hallmark of Miguel's as shown. The silver is thick and almost pure. The tips are also beautiful and hand made. The rope is black cording and can be replaced quite easily if desired but it is in it's original state for the purest at heart. I would be happy to put the tips on a new cord for you. I have a picture of the leaf cuff by Doris with it which is also listed on my site...

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...

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...

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...

Handmade sterling silver pin designed and signed c.1950 by Taxco, Mexico artist Salvador Teran. Marked SALVADOR STERLING MEXICO 103. Layered sections of silver combine to paint a stunning and mysterious modernist portrait. Female or feline? Pin measures 2 1/4" X 1 1/2". 25 grams. Beautiful vintage condition.Pin back and lock work perfectly. No dents, dings or repairs...

Last year I was lucky to find three examples of jewelry by Celia Harms, a talented designer who lived and worked in Vera Cruz in the 1950s and '60s. The Etruscan style sterling vermeil cross pin / pendant necklace I am presenting is the last of that trove and a very classy duo as well. I am very particular with vermeil - I don't really like it unless it is old and has mellowed almost to the point of ... extinction yet here it has an understated matte finish that exudes a calm warmth...

This amethyst ring is an iconic Antonio Pineda design, shown on p. 154 of Silver Seduction...

Generously long, with a hefty chain and an unusual stylized floral design, this early Mexican Deco necklace combines silver and copper in a playful yet still bold way. The graduated tulip links bring to my mind classic representations of the flower in Ottoman art - the blooms are slender and tall as opposed to the hybrids we are used today which are shorter and rounder. The minimalism of the floral links is set off by the cheerfulness of the mixed metals dangles, each made up of four "dimpled do...

One of the Mexico City maestros active in the first decades of Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance, Abraham Tobias was a contemporary of Matilde Poulat's and he created jewelry in the so-called Mexico City style repousse. Many of his pieces are based on Matl originals and admittedly the boldness and quality of his repoussage is very very close to, if not often en par with, Matilde's own. Tobias excelled in the crafting of cuff bracelets as well - one can find them in various widths, usually boas...

Following in the tradition of Mexico City “jeweled” jewelry closely associated with Matilde Poulat, this Mexican Deco silver and amethyst cross pendant necklace is not signed for maker yet its rich patina, beautiful stones and exceptional chain more than compensate for the absence. I could hardly exaggerate how rare it is to find a repousse chain of this beauty, let alone one adorned with richly colored amethyst cabs. The stones’ circular shape is cleverly reflected in the beading on the c...

In keeping with the love the 1960s and '70s had for huge, "ethnic" pendants this Los Ballesteros sterling silver sunburst stunner is inspired by ancient Aztec and Maya calendar disks and measures 3.5 in without the bail! Several silversmithing techniques were combined to create the pendant - cutwork, chasing, overlay, oxidation - and right at the center, a crown-set amethyst brings intense color to an otherwise silver and black background. The chain itself is an incredible find not just because ...

An abstract pair of caged turquoise sterling silver clip earrings by Modernist Ed Wiener who had studios in New York City and Provincetown, MA. These measure 2 1/8" long, are 3/4" wide at the bottom and weigh 15 grams total. They are in fine original condition and signed as shown. These earrings are an exceptionally fine example of Wiener's work.

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...

Rare Vintage Georg Jensen Denmark sterling earrings no. 124 designed by Sigvard Bernadotte. Beautiful oval shaped dangles featuring a wrapped silver embellishment along the bottom. These are screw backs and measure 2" long and 1" wide. They are in fine vintage condition and signed as shown.

Eagle 22, one of the assay marks used by Fred Davis, is stamped on the bracelet at hand and its design combined with the fact that Davis was not at all meticulous at signing his pieces makes me believe that we might as well be dealing here with one of this creations. The carved amethyst "masks" are rendered in the most minimalist manner, a classic Abraham Paz / Fred Davis characteristic. For me, they also bring to mind ancient Cycladic art yet they were made thousands of years later in a totally...

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.

A piece from the opening years of the Los Castillo taller this is a simply stunning bracelet! Despite the almost minimalist design, the cuff is breath-taking with its huge black onyx cab that centers its face and glistens whenever the light hits it. The sterling frame has thick twist-rope accents while big fleur-de-lis motifs flank the stone. With an inner circumference of 6 3/4" (including the 15/16" gap), the bracelet is relatively adjustable but I would strongly advise to have your jeweler d...

This sterling silver vermeil diamond heart is set with 158 brilliant cut diamonds. The approximate total weight of all diamonds is 1.50Ct. The height of the of the pendant is 1 ¼” and the width is 7/8”

Dating around the middle of Matilde Poulat's career, this sterling repousse brooch exhibits the tell-tale texturing and beading that characterizes her silver-work and is adorned with bezel-set turquoise and red coral. Poulat's inspiration quite often originated in the natural environment with doves, owls, flowers, fish and, in our case, a sea horse featured in her jewelry. Evocative of the tranquility of deep sea waters, this little creature will put a smile on your face every day of the week. M...

Great Modernist design and a pretty saw tooth bezel set lapis stone in this large sterling brooch by Frank Patania Sr. Measuring 2 1/2" by 2", it weighs 20 grams and is signed as shown. Fine original condition. An unusual and bold pin from this master jeweler.

Perfect for medium to smaller wrists, this modernist Erika Hult de Corral bracelet was made in Taxco in the 1960s-70s. One of the few female contributors to Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance that we know of, de Corral studied at the Parson's School of Design in Paris. An award-winning designer, she worked with Sigi Pineda and Enrique Ledesma before opening her own workshop. Always within the scope of modernism, her jewelry is impeccably crafted, with high quality materials and when they don't ...

One of my favorite - and at the same time classic - Enrique Ledesma designs the bracelet at hand combines sterling silver and golden sheen obsidian in the maestro's characteristic, perfectly seamless way. Ledesma experimented with various stones creating the specific bracelet but I think this year is meant to be an "obsidian year" for me and I will say that I love this version. Difficult to carve since it is a volcanic form of glass, obsidian has to be worked by skilled, masterful lapidaries to ...

Vintage hand wrought sterling silver stuffing or serving spoon designed and signed circa 1950's by Taxco, Mexico artist William Spratling (1900-67). The spoon is 12 3/8" long and weighs a hefty 121 grams, 4.3 oz. Signed on the reverse WS Spratling 925 TAXCO MEXICO with eagle 30. Beautiful condition - no dents or dings. Pictured on the informative website spratlingsilver.com.

Vintage silver and tiger's eye necklace by Erika Hult de Corral, the Taxco modernist designer with studies in Paris and apprenticeships in the workshops of both Ledesma and Sigi Pineda. I love Ric's jewelry for the fluidity of lines and her unique way of marrying sterling with hard stones. The necklace at hand has an inner circumference of 15 3/4" (clasped) with its width varying between 3/4" at center front and 1/8" at its narrowest, next to the clasp. It weighs 57.0 grams and is signed with m...

This sterling silver brooch and pendant was handmade c. 1960's by Mexico City artist Anna Morelli (1921-2008). The piece measures 3 1/4" X 2 1/2" and is in beautiful condition. Fully signed by the artist on the reverse. In 1960 Morelli was an early founding member of the Bazar del Sabado in Mexico City along with Ricardo Salas Poulat where she sold her earliest jewelry designs. Morelli achieved international fame when she was asked to design the jewelry for the Conan the Destroyer film. Mexican...

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...

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. The silver has a sleek mirror-like finish.

Weight is 12.1 grams.

Signed and hallmarked with the Antonio Taxco Crown, 970 Silver Sterling Mexico, and the eagle ...

This bracelet measures 7" long with the largest charm measuring 2" and is in excellent condition. One charm carries the hallmark SPRATLING OF MEXICO SILSON INC. During their 5 year partnership in the 1940's, Spratling provided his original designs to Victor Silson who produced the designs using silver plated pewter. In her very informative book MEXICAN SILVER, Penny Morrill provides details about the years of the partnership and production of the Spratling designs.

Bangle bracelets, be they hinged or solid, are a big love of mine but I am doubly thrilled to be presenting here a set of three signed by the Los Castillo! How often does one see this form with this signature, truly? Not often enough is the answer and the rarity enhances the innate quality of the pieces. Thick silver, saturated azur-malachite and sprarkling peacock abalone combine here is a musical, playful trio you can wear as easily with jeans and a T-shirt as with that slick, black dinner dre...

Good early Mexican Deco silver repousse jewelry is becoming harder to find - I don't know if it's because there weren't that many to begin with (quite often repoussage from that period seems a little clumsy, the technique needing additional experimenting with) or that at some point their popularity grew so much that they were "scooped up" from the market. Whatever the case, I am thrilled to be presenting this fantastic cuff bracelet with two saturated purple amethyst cabs here. I would call this...

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...

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...