A classic early Matilde Poulat Mexican silver bracelet, its textured sterling wire-work adorned with beading and coral and turquoise cabochons, this piece was made in the 1934-48 period of Matl's creative life as is indicated by its hallmarks. Part of her "flat" as opposed to "repousse" jewelry, the bracelet is perfectly articulated and responds to the wrist's every move in a effortless, gracious way...

Lariat necklaces are a favorite of mine and when I come upon a good Mexican example, I make every effort to bring it to One Good Eye Silver. Truth be told, they don't come up as often as other forms but it is an exciting quest to pursue. The late Deco / retro piece I am presenting here is a clipless version - you can adjust it by tying a loose knot at the desired height and change the way it looks whenever you feel like it...

A lovely 18K gold locket, the front cover bezel-set with Persian turquoise cabochons. The stones are nicely matched for color. The gold surface is stippled and engraved in a rayed pattern with a foliate border. The engraving on the back takes design elements from the front. The interior has a glass cover. The locket is deep enough that it was likely intended to contain both a portrait and a keepsake of some sort...

This large Fred Davis amethyst brooch was produced 1930's - early 40's. Measuring 4 1/2" long, 2 3/16" wide, it features a gorgeous hand-carved amethyst tulip. Pin closes with a roller. Signed and hallmarked with a conjoined FD and Silver Mexico. Weight is 32 grams. In excellent vintage condition. Some very minor abrasions on the edge of the tulip, but nothing seen without magnification.

This Antonio Pineda brooch is a superb modernist design featuring three amethyst "peas" in a "pod". Beautifully executed in 97% pure silver, this pin is collector quality. Measures 3 1/2" long, with a hefty weight of 29.7 grams. Pin closes with a roller. Signed and hallmarked with the Antonio Taxco crown, Hecho en Mexico 970 Silver, with the eagle assay 17 and design # PR571.

Straddling the divide between Aesthetic and Arts and Crafts design, this hinged sterling silver buckle bracelet was, I believe, made in the USA based on its hallmarking. The entire surface of the front "wing" is etched with ivy leaves, a motif beloved by the Victorians it seems, while the back is left blank, as is usually the case with bracelets of this type...

The Arts and Crafts is one of my favorite periods in jewelry design - emphasis on motifs from nature, design that focuses on craftsmanship while allowing the viewer to follow the artisan's hand, "honest" materials without necessarily seeking out the most expensive metals and gemstones, it was a real break with the fussy excesses of Victorian aesthetics. The silver and banded agate intaglio ring presented here is an example that brings together all the above...

An early Taxco treasure, this Mexican Deco cuff bracelet is both generous in weight and wrought in fine, .980 silver. The design is classic for the period and I have seen all-silver versions of it over the years by anonymous and recognizable names, that of Emma and La Cucaracha being among the most famous. The marriage of silver and copper that we are treated to here, however, I have never encountered before...

A superb Ventian Etruscan pendant or charm set with citrine, smoky quartz, green and green tourmaline, aquamarine, blue topaz, hessonite garnet, and almandine garnet. These large pendants come in many different shapes, but this is the first time we've seen one in the shape of a six-pointed star (Star of David.) The gemstones are nicely colored and all the gold surfaces are enhanced with intricate ropetwist and beaded decoration...

A lovely 18K gold locket, the front cover bezel-set with rhodolite garnets. The garnets have very fine color with bright shots of violet. The gold surface is stippled. The back cover is ornately engraved in a checkerboard pattern. The interior has a hinged glass cover. The locket is deep enough that it was likely intended to contain both a portrait and a keepsake of some sort. The bail is stamped with French 18K gold marks.

• Origin: France, ca...

Signed by Mary Gage, the eccentric yet talented silversmith (among other vocations!) of the late American Arts and Crafts movement, this wide sterling silver band ring is entirely hand-wrought and features her signature "lily pads" motif. It seems that Gage crafted this ring in 14k yellow gold as well which probably explains why, if you look really closely to the clusters of tiny beading separating the lily pads, you will spot two or three that are made of gold...

A chunky French tank bracelet worked in rose and yellow gold. The 1937 World’s Fair gave rise to a fashion for “tank jewelry,” so called for its perceived resemblance to the treads of armored tanks. This bracelet features angular ridges alternating with rounded elements that creates a woven visual effect...

An elegant pair of 18K yellow gold earclips by Haroldo Burle Marx set with intricately carved jelly opals in the “forma livre” (free form) style. Burle Marx was particularly known for his use of stones fashioned by carving or tumbling rather than faceting, a technique he invented in 1948. The moonstones have bluish overtones with broad flashes of pinkish-orange. The elongated shape of the stones, mirrored by the shape of the settings looks very good on the ear...

Signed by Victoria who is often credited in the relevant literature with having perfected the "mixed metals" technique this big, bold combination pin / pendant brings together sterling silver, copper and brass in an Aztec Revival design. I am fascinated by the seamless marrying of the metals in "casados" pieces and Ana Nunez de Brilanti excelled in their design and crafting...

Based on one of William Spratling's most classic, early designs this Mexican Deco silver and amethyst ring is an anonymous beauty from the same period the renowned designer was active. Lean and mean in its constitutive motifs, it nevertheless packs a powerful visual punch what with the mysterious depths of its cloudy cabochon and the curves of the beading on either side of the stone. Classic and classy indeed the ring is currently a sz 6 US (yet easily re-sized by your jeweler) with its face mea...

Heavy, early and wrought out of fine, .980 silver this Mexican Deco cuff bracelet is one of William Spratling's "archaelogically-inspired" creations of the renowned maestro's First Design Period. Thick silver sheet is carefully shaped and deeply hand-chased here with the gravitas of the labyrinthine geometric motifs further enhancing the piece's physical heft. This is a bracelet that makes itself known to the wearer not only with its weight but also with the confident, almost possessive way it w...

Stunning Los Castillo "doorknocker" dangle earrings, these beauties are breath-taking and beguilingly curvaceous. I love this design and it has been a long time since I had a similar set. Sensual curves, sculptural teardrops, discrete little scrolls and confident, masterful repoussage - there is nothing about the pair that was not paid attention to. Even the concave round elements that hide the screw-back at the earrings' top have been enhanced with oxidation. Measuring 2 1/4" long by 1 1/8" wid...

Sets of bangle bracelets are bound to lighten the spirit and brighten the day with their music and, if they are also studded with stones like the ones at ... hand, the splashes of color they scatter around. Made in the middle period of Taxco's 20th c. Silver Renaissance and signed by listed yet still unidentified maestros, these two came to me as a pair and this is the way I would like to send them out to their next new, loving home. Perfect to wear as a duo but also ideal to bring the vibrancy ...

A very fine French Art Nouveau 18K yellow gold festoon necklace comprising three gold plaques exquisitely engraved in a pattern of roses and their foliage. The plaques are curved to create a "festoon" look, and are suspended from a gold chain set with natural seed pearls. The backs of the plaques are lightly engraved with a reverse image of the roses—a hidden luxury that speaks to the quality of the piece. Each plaque also includes stems with pronounced thorns, perhaps as a reminder of the sel...

Spectacular execution in this sterling and saw tooth bezel set coral ring by Santo Domingo silversmith Julian Lovato. He began working in 1938 and was a silversmith for Frank Patania Sr. in the Thunderbird Shop. This ring was made during his time there as it has his own signature as well as the Patania Thunderbird Shop mark, sterling IHM (Indian Hand Made). Julian Lovato was the winner of numerous awards for his fine creations during his lifetime. This ring is a size 8 and the face measures 3/4"...

Elegant peaked link necklace in 940 silver by Mexican silversmith Hector Aguilar. This necklace is a choker style that sits perfectly on the neck and terminates with a hook closure. It is 14 1/2" end to end and the links are 1" wide and 7/8" long. Surprising hefty, it weighs 123 grams and is in fine original condition. Signed with the 1940-48 Aguilar hallmark as shown. A very wearable and beautiful piece.

Bold, clean lines on this sterling and coral ring by Frank Patania. The center coral is a deep, dark Mediterranean coral at its best. The ring is a size 6 1/2, measures 1" long and 5/8" wide and weighs 13 grams. Fine original condition with no chips or cracks to the stone. Signed as shown. A great mid-century design.

This sterling silver necklace was designed and signed (c.1940) by Taxco, Mexico artist William Spratling (1900-67). The pendant measures 3 1/4" X 3 1/4" and can be worn as a brooch by easily detaching the 20" long sterling silver chain. The pendant with chain weighs 110 grams. Both silver and the beautiful amethyst stones are in excellent condition. Shown and described on spratlingsilver.com. Also pictured in SPRATLING SILVER: A FIELD GUIDE by Phyllis Goddard and in MEXICAN SILVER by Penny Mor...

Hallmarks date this Matilde Poulat pin to the 1950's. Measuring 2 1/2" wide, 2 3/4" tall, this pin has two stately doves on each side, with a center teardrop amethyst, turquoise cabochons, and five dangles with coral. Pin closes with a roller. Weight is 18.1 grams. Signed and hallmarked Matl Mexico 925 M Reg 10592, along with the eagle assay 129. In excellent vintage condition.

Felipe Martinez was a sculptor, then a stone cutter for Hubert Harmon, before he opened his own taller "Piedra Y Plata" in 1950. This is a gorgeous necklace with highly polished onyx stones and a modernist design making this a standout piece. Measuring just over 16" wearable length, it lays perfectly on the neck and will not fail to be instantly noticed. The centerpiece is 3" wide, 3 3/8" tall. Weight is 79.4 grams. Signed and hallmarked "Taxco Martinez Sterling". In excellent vi...

Bearing the signature of Pedro Castillo this bracelet is, for me, a fusion of classic Taxco "arhaeological" as well as modernist elements. The overlay is immaculately crafted - one would never expect less from a Castillo - and the design lends itself to several readings. Is it a stylized butterfly? Two human forms positioned sideways, mirroring each other? An elaboration on ancient Mesoamerican motifs with a mod twist? Be that as it may, the bracelet has an intense visual presence that is only e...

An unusual and elegant sterling bracelet with saw tooth bezel set carnelian by Frank Patania. Measuring 5 3/4" around in the inside plus an additional 1 1/2" opening, it is 1 3/8" wide and weighs 85 grams. Fine original condition and signed as shown. A bold mid-century design with great stones.

Circa 1930's, this Fred Davis pin is very striking, with a design which I've not seen previously. The craftsmanship is superb with exquisite repoussé silver work. Measures 2 11/16" tall, 2" wide. Weight is 25.3 grams. Signed and hallmarked with a conjoined FD Made in Mexico Silver. In excellent vintage condition. Pin closes with a simple early spiral C clasp, and is very secure.

Calling the vintage Mexican silver and black stone "mask" ring I am presenting here massive is not an exaggeration. It is not just the actual ring size (9.5 US) that makes it so; it is also the textured, solid setting, quite masculine in design, and the beautifully carved, stupendous effigy it houses. I am not sure what the stone is - I think it might be onyx but it could also be black agate. I am fascinated by its opaque gravity and the way its satin finish invites the touch. And what about tho...

A rare, spectacular Erika Hult de Corral set consisting of two square sterling silver bangles with wood inlay (I believe probably rosewood) this pair is a feast for the eyes and such a treat for the vintage Mexican jewelry collector who also seeks out the few (but amazingly talented) female designers of the field. Ric (as Hult de Corral signed her pieces) studied at the Parson's School of Design in Paris and before opening her own workshop during Taxco's "middle period", she worked for both Sigi...

Circa 1940's, this large brooch is said to be named after Spratling's parrot "Lorenzo". It's a huge and spectacular pin, measuring 4 1/2" tall and 1 3/16" wide, with a weight of 49.4 grams.

This left facing parrot has a 1 1/2" long amethyst body and exquisite repoussé silver work. Pin closes with a roller. All original and collector quality.

It's a published bookpiece, shown on p. 38 of "Mexican Silver", as well as on the spine of the dust cover. Also shown on p. 46 ...

Circa mid-century, this Margot de Taxco ring has exquisite repoussé silver work with scrolls and tiny beading.

This is Margot's design #5337. The face of the ring measures 1 3/8" x 1", with a band that is adjustable. Current size is 9 1/4.

Weight is 19.1 grams.

Hallmarked with the eagle assay 16 and the design # 5337.

Beautiful patina, excellent vintage condition.

This bold and edgy Margot de Taxco bracelet is heavy and very substantial, with wide incised oxidized recesses. It's a design which is not often seen and most certainly a statement piece.

Will fit up to a 7 1/8 wrist, and has a width of 2 1/8".

Weight is 121.2 grams.

Signed and hallmarked with a partial Margot de Taxco "De Taxco", Hecho en Mexico 925, with the eagle assay 16 and design # 5634.

In excellent vintage condition. No safety chain, but loo...

From Spratling's first design period, hallmarks date this pin 1040-1944. This eagle serpent pin has superb repoussé silver work. Oxidized recesses and a highly detailed design really make this a standout piece. Measures 2 5/16" x 1 7/8". Weight is 26 grams. Signed and hallmarked with the WS Print Circle and Spratling Silver. Pin closes with a roller.

Circa 1940's, this bracelet was produced by Hector Aguilar for Coro at the Taller Borda.

In 1943, Hector Aguilar formed a financial partnership with Gerald Rosenberger, the owner of Coro, to design and produce jewelry at the Taller Borda. This partnership was dissolved by 1950.

The bullet bracelet is one of the most elusive and iconic designs produced by Hector Aguilar. This bracelet is identical to the Aguilar, with the exception of the tongue in box closure instead of a p...

Hallmarks date this Hector Aguilar pin 1940-1945.

It's a book-piece design, with a slightly different version shown in "Silver Masters of Mexico". Highly detailed and whimsical in appearance, it's a large stately piece. Collector quality.

Measures 4 3/8" x 3 3/8".

Weight is 27.2 grams.

Signed and hallmarked with a conjoined HA, Sterling, and Made in Mexico.

In excellent vintage condition. Pin closes with a roller.

An elegant pair of 18K yellow gold earclips by Haroldo Burle Marx set with intricately carved jelly tourmalines in the “forma livre” (free form) style. Burle Marx was particularly known for his use of stones fashioned by carving or tumbling rather than faceting, a technique he invented in 1948. The tourmalines have greenish blueish overtones. The elongated shape of the stones, mirrored by the shape of the settings looks very good on the ear. The gold surfaces are worked in both the stippled...

Offered on consignment.......

Hallmarks date this William Spratling bracelet 1951-1956.

From his third design period, this cuff features half discs which alternate with azur-malachite and silver, with a band of three striated lines across the center. Shown on the Spratling Silver website as well as in the book "Spratling Silver: A Field Guide, Spratling described this bracelet as "slip-on heavy forged azurite half discs."

Inside edge to edge measures 5", with an ...

Circa pre-1948, this tour-de-force cuff bracelet is the work of Silver Corpus Artisans of Mexico.

I know this mark to be associated with Doris Silver, although this piece is not marked as such.

Quite possibly one of a kind, this is an amazing cuff with superb silver work. Measuring 4" tall, the design has koi fish with bubbles coming out of their mouths, amidst huge waves.

Should fit up to a 7" wrist. A good jeweler can adjust the size smaller or larger to fit th...

This mid-century pendant/pin/necklace can be worn several different ways. Pin on its own, necklace with pendant, and pin and necklace separately.

It's a very rarely seen design, and it is most certainly collector quality.

The shadowbox design has a darkened background which is absolutely flawless.

Pendant/pin measures 1 7/8" x 1 3/8". Closed, wearable length is 17".

Weight is 79.7 grams.

Signed and hallmarked "Sigi Tasco Sterling Hecho e...

A graduate of the Parson's School of Design in Paris, Erika Hult de Corral is one of my favorite modernist designers and silversmiths in the context of Mexican silver jewelry. Spanning a few decades, her work is unfailingly of the highest quality with attention paid not only to materials but also to finishing and, of course, imaginative design. The ring presented here, wrought in sterling and centered by a scrumptious tiger's eye stone, can also be found with Enrique Ledesma's signature. Since ...

A rarely surfacing pair of stunning Miguel Martinez earrings, this set reinterprets neo-Aztec elements in a modernist, almost surrealist way. I consider Martinez's jewelry to be among the best examples of 20th c. Taxco design and silver-smithing, always a feast for the eyes and perfectly finished. Here two different finishes in the silver combine with purposefully applied oxidation to lend body to the appliques and render the fan-shaped element at the top more dramatic against its black backgrou...

Not much is known - if anything at all - about Ars Plata whose signature is found on the Mexican silver and amethyst dangle earrings at hand. Bille Hougart lists an "Art Plat." in his book on Mexican silver hallmarks but I am not sure the two workshops / retailers (?) are the same. This lack of information is part of the field's reality yet it is always exciting to find a name not often encountered. Especially if it is stamped on beautifully made, slick jewelry like this set ever so reminiscent ...

This Hector Aguilar masterpiece dates to mid-century. Collector quality, with six large onyx cabochons and a tongue in box clasp. Measures a closed, wearable length of 7 1/8", with a width of 1 1/16". Weight is 91.7 grams. Signed and hallmarked "HA 940 Taxco ", with the eagle assay 9. In excellent vintage condition.

A whopper of a bracelet, this early Taxco Deco beauty was wrought in fine, 980 silver and has still evident the Spanish Colonial influence in its design. Bold yet simple in its constitutive motifs, the silver-work is made up of three massive curved links that are adorned with traditional wire appliques and a touch of deliberate oxidation. It is the stones that center each one of those links, however, that are the pieces-de-resistance here! Two huge amethyst cabochons, with saturated color and ri...

Extraordinary huge vintage sterling and turquoise petit point ring by Zuni Edith Tsatbetsaye , circa 1970. Many silversmiths created petit point pieces but this silversmith took the art to an extreme. The stones are cut with a semi-circular high domed arch that is her trademark, creating a lacework that wraps around the entire front half of the finger. This ring is a size 6 1/2 and measures 1 3/8" long and 1 " wide in the front. Weighing 10 grams, there are no missing stones and no chips or cra...

An absolutely extraordinary pair of vintage sterling cuff bracelets by Frank Patania Sr. from his Thunderbird Shop in Santa Fe, NM. Impeccable, precise craftsmanship and design speak in these pieces. Measuring 5 3/4" around in the inside plus an additional 1 1/4" opening, they are 2 1/2" wide and weigh 284 grams total. Only one of the cuffs is signed so will only be sold as a pair. Fine original condition and signed as shown. These are truly magnificent.

Perfect for the black turtlenecks and heavy coats of winter this vintage Mexican Deco silver and turquoise bird of paradise brooch is a stupendous work of art! Not only does its sheer size stun the eye, its layered sculpturality and curvaceous repoussage invites the touch and allows the light to play a thousand tricks hiding in its recesses and reflecting off its elevations. I was always a big fan of brooches and my focus on Mexican jewelry has rewarded me a myriad times over the years with amaz...

An elaborate sterling silver knot hanging off a classic repousse semi-sphere takes center-stage in this set of vintage Mexican dangle earrings by renowned Taxco maestro Pedro Castillo. I love Pedro Castillo's work for its complexity and layering and the modernist twist it adds to motifs derived from Mexico's rich cultural past. And even though these beauties are of medium length, they do pack a strong visual punch with their strategically applied oxidation and the warm patina they have developed...

I always preface Jose Luis Flores's jewelry by saying that, in my opinion, he was one of the most talented Taxco maestros during the town's heyday. His creations are usually modernist re-interpretations of ancient Meso-american motifs, always dynamic and quite often magnificently layered. The set of dangle earrings I am presenting here, though two-dimensional except for the repousse semi-spheres, impart a strong sense of fluidity and motion with their ribbon-like design twisting and turning in l...

Hallmarks date this Hector Aguilar cuff 1943-1948.

Measures 2 3/4" wide at the ends, inside edge to edge at the center is 5 3/4", gap is 1 5/8" at the center, 1 5/16" at the ends.

Weight is 114.6 grams.

Twenty-seven turquoise cabs are set in three rows.

Should fit up to a 6 7/8" wrist. A jeweler can gently adjust this so that it will fit a smaller or larger wrist.

Signed and hallmarked "HA Made in Mexico Sterling".

In excellen...

A colorful 18K gold pendant from H Stern’s “Rainbow Collection,” featuring rectangular garnet, topaz, citrine, peridot, green tourmaline, aquamarine, and amethyst to represent the color spectrum of visible light. The stones are contained within a simple gold border. The reverse is stamped with Stern’s star mark. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

• Origin: Brazil, ca. 1990
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1” long including bail
• Weight: 1.6 grams
• Approximate...

A very handsome and heavy pair of double-sided 18K gold cufflinks, the oval faces decorated with stripes of engine-turned engraving and translucent royal blue guilloche enamel. The faces are joined by chains. Both the faces and the individual chain links are fully marked for Sheffield, 1905 and have an unidentified maker’s mark.

• Origin: Sheffield, England, 1905
• Condition: excellent, no enamel damage
• Dimensions; faces, 3/4” x 9/16”
• Weight: 11.0 grams

An elegant Art Nouveau bracelet comprising foliate shaped links set with round amethysts alternating with fleur-de-lis shaped links. The amethysts have the deep violet coloring typical of the best quality Siberian material. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

• Origin: America, ca 1895
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 7-1/2” long
• Weight: 19.4 grams
• Approximate Total Amethyst Weight: 5.22 carats

This ring is the match to the pair of Patania cuffs listed. The same gorgeous design and execution, it is a size 5 and weighs 20 grams. The face of the ring is 1 1/4" long and 1" wide. Fine condition. Signed as shown. This ring looks stunning all on its own but is a show stopper when worn together with the cuffs.

A glorious emulation of Spratling's "Aztec Sun" design, the early Mexican Deco silver and amethyst cuff at hand combines repoussage and overlay with cleverly applied oxidation that adds more depth and drama to an already stunning bracelet. This is a generously proportioned piece so if you always craved a cuff like it but couldn't find one to fit, don't miss this opportunity. If its rich purple stones, the deeply chased repousse and appliques and those daring slender silver rays bursting out of t...

I know and admire maestro C. Molina's work for its superb craftsmanship and its monumentality but I was still not prepared for this set of stupedying dangle earrings! There is big, there is massive and then, there is the pair of shadowbox stunners I am presenting here tonight. Maestro Molina excelled in the application of the shadowbox technique which allowed him to create jewelry which are generous in proportions and convey a dramatic sense of depth while at the same time being light and easy t...

A smashing duo in the index of mid-20th century Mexican jewelry design, Cecilia and Tono have created some of the most amazing pieces. More often than not their creations are re-interpretations of ancient motifs with a modernist twist and adaptations of old techniques and materials to fit their contemporary vision. In the long chain necklace presented here hefty sterling links lend their mod geometry to silver spheres and rich azur-malachite beads that have been cut in emulation of ancient bi-co...

Signed by a listed but still unidentified Taxco maestro, this pair of exuberant sterling silver chandelier earrings is set with some of the most vibrant turquoise teardrops I have seen. Yet it is not just the stones that elevate it above and beyond your everyday earrings. The silver-work is equally gorgeous, the hand-cut and deeply chased frames given "body" with just a tad of repoussage and wisely applied oxidation. And did I mention that color in the turquoise??? Measuring 1 7/8" long (incl...

Distinctly Egyptian Revival in its inspiration, the set of Mexican Deco dangle earrings at hand reminds me very much of elements in Margot de Taxco's "Cleopatra" parure; more specifically, the feathers of the "vulture crown" the pharaoh is wearing. More stylized in our case they are here involved in an elaborate knot forming sculptural dangles that hang off the sweetest repousse rosettes. I admit that I have never encountered this specific design before and would also like to draw your attention...