AUCTIONS (2)
 | Fine quality Ohi Ware Macha bowl by Yoshio Iwamura |
 | Antique Tibetan painted wood image of Green Tara Bodhisattva |
 | Rare Art Smith Large MCM Brooch Kinetic Brass Copper Ball Moves Signed |
 | 2.42 EUROPEAN CUT DIAMOND & PLATINUM ENGAGEMENT RING |
SALE PRICED
 | Wide MCM Renoir Copper Cuff |
 | 19thC Chalcedony + Opal Gilt Metal Expansion Bracelet |
Estate Jewelry (9287)
One Good Eye Silver
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There are some pieces of jewelry that simply defy any effort to photograph them. And this stunning Taxco modernist sterling silver and blue spinel hinged bangle is one of them - a really tough one at that too! I have faced this challenge once before in the past and the “culprit” is available here as well, only that one is by Enrique Ledesma and adorned with color-change sapphires...
Stunning pair of heavy silver bangles inlaid with raw polished Baltic amber, total 184 grams of silver. These have spring loaded hinges so they do not require a clasp. Inner diameters are 18cm. These crafted in a Tibetan design made by Nepalese silversmiths for a more sophisticated market than tourist kitsch. Would sell individually at $400ea.
One Good Eye Silver
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The art of "metales casados" (mixed or married metals) was practiced by several Taxco workshops yet I think Victoria was its queen. Ana Maria Nunez de Brilanti combined copper, silver and brass not only to design exquisite jewelry but also hollowware of various kinds and decorative objects. In the necklace presented here she seems to be inspired by Egyptian Revival motifs which is not unusual for her - there are at least a couple of other parures she created that tread that same path...
One Good Eye Silver
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I have had this ring in my personal collection for several years now - always meaning to get it sized so I can enjoy - but I finally deciding to let it go. I have only seen this design once before, with a obsidian cab and a different shank but I really love how it looks with the “feathered serpent” jealously guarding an amethyst...
One Good Eye Silver
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Over the years of my career as a vintage Mexican jewelry dealer I have come to love and appreciate the "mask" pieces created by the Los Ballesteros workshop. I have to admit that this was not a "love-at-first-sight" affair. On the contrary, it took me some time to realize that prolific though they might have been, especially in the post-1980 years which witnessed a drop in creativity as well, the specific workshop excelled in the production of superb jewelry centered by carved stone effigies...
One Good Eye Silver
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Based on Hector Aguilar's often referred to as the "fertility" parure, this anonymous Mexican Deco sterling silver band ring is a rare find. I love the combination of the two cross motif variations, the deep hand-chased details and the sense of depth enhanced with oxidation...
Valentin Vidaurreta signed pieces are extremely elusive and highly coveted. This bracelet is collector quality. It's a book piece design, shown with obsidian stones on p. 113 of "Mexican Silver", and p. 152 of "William Spratling and the Mexican Silver Renaissance".
Vidaurreta was extremely talented. He was an artist, illustrator, horticulturist, amateur architect, and silver designer...
One Good Eye Silver
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I thought long and hard before I decided to offer this stunning, very rare vintage Mexican ring by Taxco maestro Alfredo Villasana. When I first acquired it, my intention was to add it to my personal collection. I am a rings enthusiast and the specific design I have never ever seen before in all my years of buying and selling vintage Taxco jewelry. Yet how many rings could one possibly keep for themselves?
It has been a while since I last presented an Alfredo Villasana...
Hallmarks date this Gerardo Lopez pectoral necklace 1950-1955.
Executed in 98% almost pure silver, this hand-wrought necklace is a masterpiece. The repoussé silver work is nothing short of spectacular.
Measures a closed, wearable length of 17". Centerpiece is just over 6" wide. Please see pic.
Weight is 100.4 grams.
Signed and hallmarked "Lopez Taxco 980", along with the eagle assay 25.
In excellent vintage condition. Collector quality. Gorgeous original patina.
One Good Eye Silver
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I am thrilled to have stumbled upon this amazing, quintessentially Deco and quite rare Mexican silver and stone ring! Though this piece is not signed for maker, the design is a known Fred Davis creation and as I have recently noted in one of my descriptions, Davis was never as adamant as Spratling was in hallmarking all jewelry coming out of his workshop. So out there, there are many Davis creations that are simply not marked fully and I believe this beauty might easily be one of them...
One Good Eye Silver
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One of my absolute favorite designs by Gerardo Lopez, this silver and copper "mask" necklace I have sold a few times during my career as a vintage Mexican jewelry dealer and I never tire of it! There is so much to attract the eye here and every time you look at it, you spot something new and exciting. Meticulously cut ornate sterling "frames", oxidized and embellished with overlay, surround the highly sculptural copper "masks"...
One Good Eye Silver
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Potent design and perfect execution combine in this set of Antonio Pineda cufflinks shaped like bull skulls...
A wonderful Victorian/Art Nouveau pendant and brooch in the form of a mythological griffin grasping a diamond in its jaws. The creature’s open-winged pose is somewhat unusual for this type of jewel, as they tend to be more curled up in a more circular position. The pose, however, makes for wear as a dramatic pendant hanging from the pendant loops on each wing. The back also has a removable fitting so it can also be worn as a brooch...
Period Pieces
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Here is an interesting portrait in silver, of a wind-swept young person clad in a cloak and hood. It’s very detailed and just lovely. We think it’s a boy (very unusual in jewelry), as the hair seems to be quite short under the hood. The hood itself looks like a cap made from a flower, as seen on fairies in Victorian children’s books. It measures 1-1/8” wide, is hollow, and is marked “STERLING TOP GERMAN SILVER BACK”. The sterling front is in very good condition...
One Good Eye Silver
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A rare example of Jose Luis Flores's work to come upon, this distinctly modernist necklace made my day when I discovered it. I have in the past sold the matching bracelet to it but this specific form eluded me for the longest of times and I am thrilled to be offering it here. Made up of links constructed using overlay, hand-cutting and chasing as well as oxidation, it brings to mind Teran's biomorphism and the design's execution is flawless. No wonder many of Flores's jewelry are also signed for...
Exuding a primordial strength and keeping its secrets well hidden under layers of hand-etched scales, beading and overlay this stunning creature - I see it as a sea serpent but on second thought and if those appliques running along its spine are stylized feathers, it could be Quetzalcoatl as easily - is another treasure bearing the signature of Doris and her Corpus Artisans group of maestros. Appreciation for Doris jewelry has been growing steadily since I first started dealing in vintage Mexica...
Spratling designed this lovely work of art in the 1940's. The sterling silver basket holds 3 hand carved chalcedony stone flowers in varying shades of color. The brooch measures 2 7/8" across X 2 1/2" high & weighs 47 grams. The pin is in beautiful condition & fully hallmarked for Spratling on the reverse. The design is pictured on spratlingsilver.com and in Phyllis Goddard's book SPRATLING SILVER: A FIELD GUIDE.
One Good Eye Silver
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I was always in love with beaded necklaces but as I grow older I appreciate their elegant comfort even more. Whether worn alone or combined with similar pieces, with stones or all-silver, they can be counted on to save the day whatever the occasion. This specific design by Carmen Beckmann is one of my absolute favorites - I have one in my jewelry box and I will never let go. Made up of two sizes of beads, one plain, the other embellished with ornate wire-work, it is most usually found in choker ...
Two Silver Doves
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This fabulous vintage Antonio Pineda Bracelet has a bold modernist design with links of thick silver in a stylized leaf design. It measures 6 5/8" long by 1" wide and weighs 82.5 grams. Hallmarked with the Antonio Taxco Crown mark, 970, Hecho en Mexico, eagle 17 and the design number ZZ609 - this number shows that the bracelet was made in Antonio's workshop. It is in good condition with only light age related wear and tarnish. The button topped clasp is secure and there is an attached safety cha...
This Erika Hult de Corral bracelet was produced 1960's - 70's. It's a gorgeous modernist design, with eighteen amethyst cabochons and three large oval gold sheen obsidian stones. Measures a closed, wearable length of 7", with a width of 1 1/4". Weight is 94.6 grams. Signed and hallmarked "Ric Taxco", with the design # 125 and the eagle assay 3. In excellent vintage condition.
Hallmarks date this magnificent Matilde Poulat fish necklace 1934-1940. Truly a masterpiece with superb repoussé silver work. There are nine dangling fish, each with a coral eye. Eleven panels are adorned with triple turquoise cabochons. One of her most sought after designs, and quite rare. Measures 16 1/4" closed, wearable length. Center fish dangles 3" tall from top of turquoise to bottom of tail. Weight is 145 grams. Signed and hallmarked in block "MATL 925" on the back of two of the ...
Circa early 1940's, the Lyre necklace is an iconic design from Hector Aguilar. Shown on p. 30 of Silver Masters of Mexico, it's a necklace which drapes beautifully on the neck with a substantial presence. Measures 15 3/4" end to end. Weight is 131.2 grams. Signed and hallmarked with the conjoined HA, Taxco, and 940. In excellent vintage condition.
Period Pieces
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This is one of our very favorite rings. It would make a lovely engagement ring for a woman who wants something a bit different, and the green & red stones make it great for St. Patrick’s, Christmas, or really any time at all! The central diamond is approximately 20 points (1/5 of a carat, but looks bigger), and is set in platinum. The rest of the setting is made of unmarked but tested 14k gold of a lovely rich yellow. There are 4 tiny rubies and 3 tiny green demantoid garnets. It’s very hard...
One Good Eye Silver
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A true choker-sized necklace by the Los Castillo workshop which can, nevertheless, easily accept a simple extension (please, ask if you need one), this is a design I have always admired for its perfect combination of sterling repousse links and bi-cone (or sometimes even flattened circular) glass beads. Very well made and so easy to enjoy no matter what the occasion is, our version is adorned with amethyst-colored beads that cast a purple shadow on the already warm patina of the silver. The neck...
One Good Eye Silver
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Admittedly my favorite Mexican modernist, Salvador Teran seems to have never had a "bad" moment during his career. There is not one piece of his that I have come upon which I have not loved for its quirky abstraction, its sometimes tongue-in-cheek genius, its magical way of playing with layers, abstraction and oxidation. The mod pendant presented here provides a good illustration, I believe, of the point I am trying to make. The rendering borders on cubism yet at the same time, the pendant regis...
One Good Eye Silver
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Rare to find and quintessentially Mexican Deco, especially if we are looking at the Mexico City school repousse pieces, these sterling silver rings with their carved stone "masquettes" are the dedicated collector's dream. Yet you don't have to be a collector to enjoy their unique character. What always attracted me to them is their "Arts and Crafts" style silver work which allows you to follow the maestro's creative journey by tracing the marks his/her tools left on the precious metal. Coveted a...
One Good Eye Silver
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An early design by the Los Castillo taller (could it have been created by their cousin, Salvador Teran, when he was still working for them?), the “fish skeleton” is considered a classic and has seen many emulations and reproductions over the years. The hinged bracelet at hand, wrought in thick silver sheet with copper bead accents, is a modernist treasure that was made for small wrists. Ideal for all of us who love vintage Mexican clampers but can never enjoy them because they are usually...
*On Hold* This mid-century masterpiece from Talleres de Los Ballesteros is a book-piece design shown on p. 227 of Warman's Jewelry 3rd Edition.
It's an iconic bracelet, with gorgeous faceted amethysts and incised stars which are oxidized in the recesses. The amethysts sit high in four pronged settings. Opens wide to easily fit over the wrist and closes with a tight and secure tongue in box clasp.
Closed, interior length is 6 3/4", with a 1 3/4" width.
Weight is 122.3 grams. A very subst...
This bracelet is a seldom seen design from Sigi Pineda. It's a spectacular modernist piece with three faceted stones which graduate in size. At first glance the stones appear to be hematite, but they may well be onyx. Opens at the back nice and wide to easily fit over the wrist. Original safety chain attached. Closed, wearable length is 6 7/8". Width is 1 7/8". Weight is 91.3 grams. Signed and hallmarked "Sigi Tasco Made in Mexico Sterling", with the design #47 and the eagle assay 3. Col...
*On Hold* Circa mid-century, this Los Ballesteros bracelet is a tour-de-force statement piece which immediately garners compliments to the wearer.
It's an iconic book-piece design, shown in "Warman's Jewelry" by Christie Romero, there with amethysts. I have the amethyst bracelet in my shop, as well.
This bracelet features eight faceted stones, in an array of vivid colors, in high five pronged settings. The stones alternate between four and five pointed incised stars with ox...
It's an iconic book-piece design, shown in "Warman's Jewelry" by Christie Romero, there with amethysts. I have the amethyst bracelet in my shop, as well.
This bracelet features eight faceted stones, in an array of vivid colors, in high five pronged settings. The stones alternate between four and five pointed incised stars with ox...
One Good Eye Silver
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I am thrilled to be presenting you with this Mexican Deco silver and amethyst glass “masks” and cabs bracelet. This type of multi-row repousse semi-spheres bangle (I like to think of similar bracelets as glorified hinged bangles indeed!) is one of the most sought-after forms in the world of vintage jewelry from Mexico. The particular example, with its heavy patina, its molded elongated masks and the hidden clasp (it is positioned behind one of the faces, as you can see) is a veritable little...
One Good Eye Silver
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One of the classiest and most classic Mexican Deco jewelry designs, the "shield" necklace is associated with the names of Fred Davis and Abraham Paz but has also been made by other, contemporary maestros both anonymous and "less celebrated". Our sterling and dyed green calcite example belongs in the latter group but, as I have pointed out many times in the past, its "anonymity" does not take away at all from its craftsmanship and good looks. I am fascinated by the myriad of ways in which calcite...
One Good Eye Silver
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A masterfully crafted, meticulously finished frame of sterling lily pads accented with tiny beading and elegant little wire swirls surrounds a flat-top amethyst gem in the vintage studio ring I am presenting here. This type of silver-work and the specific foliate motif is easily identified as created by Mary Gage, one of the most talented - and indeed most eccentric - silversmiths of the late American Arts and Crafts movement. I have had a few pieces by Gage over the years - she does not seem to...
One Good Eye Silver
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The "less-is-more" philosophy of modernism and the classic, for Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance, marriage of silver and amethyst come together in this minimalist by-pass ring signed by Doris Corpus Artisans. A daring, Texas-born American who decided to move to Mexico in the 1940s, Doris Smith Chamberlin had her own workshop by 1945 and her commitment to perfection and inspired design resulted in the creation of some truly exceptional jewelry. I have in the past offered examples of the work c...
Circa mid-century, here is a Margot de Taxco zodiac pendant bracelet with Taurus the Bull. It's her design #s 5310 and 5233, and it's collector quality.
It's a heavy, chunky, absolutely beautiful bracelet and one which shows up beautifully on the wrist.
Closed wearable length is 6 5/8". Taurus charm/pendant measures 1 13/16 to the top of the bale, 1 9/16" wide.
Weight is 97 grams.
Signed and hallmarked "Margot de Taxco 5310 Sterling Made in Mexico", with the eagle assay 16 on t...
One Good Eye Silver
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Matching the "festoon with teardrops" necklace I recently sold, this set of earrings by the Los Castillo workshop is truly glamorous! I love the flair of the bifurcated element at the top with its curvaceous central semi-sphere which mirrors the sculptural elegance of the teardrop. And, please, note the playful articulation of the semi-circular links forming the main dangle. Aren't they just a pleasure? The earrings measure 1 3/4" long by 1 1/4" wide and weigh 17.5 grams (for the set). They are ...
Spratling designed this stunning sterling silver piece during a period of time when he worked to develop a plan modeled on what he had done in Taxco, to help create an economic base for native Alaskans writes Penny Morrill in her book WILLIAM SPRATLING AND THE MEXICAN SILVER RENASSIANCE p.239. Inlaid with azur-malachite the pendant measures 4" X 3". The necklace is 18" long. Signed SPRATLING DE MEXICO & Eagle 13, hallmarks used by Spratling from 1949-51. All in beautiful condition. Pictured in M...
For anniversary or wedding jewelry, there’s nothing more romantic than Alphonse Augis’ love token jewelry. Usually, they are round medallions, but this exceptionally rare piece is in the form of a love letter using a rebus to spell out “Plus qu’hier, moins que demain” (“More than yesterday, less than tomorrow,” a line from a love poem written by Rosemonde Gérard to her husband Edmond Rostand, author of “Cyrano de Bergerac” in 1889. The word “plus” is symbolized by a plus s...
For anniversary jewelry, there’s nothing more romantic than this rare 18K yellow gold, diamond and ruby love token (“medaille d’amour”) ring with a rebus spelling out “Plus qu’hier, moins que demain” (“more than yesterday, less than tomorrow,”) a line from a love poem written by Rosemonde Gérard to her husband Edmond Rostand (author of “Cyrano de Bergerac”) in 1889. The word “plus” is symbolized by a plus sign set with a single diamond and the word “moins” is symbo...
An Art Deco pendant or charm displaying four playing cards each with the pip for an ace worked in black or red enamel. Four aces is an unbeatable hand in poker unless an opponent has a flush. The bottom edge of the charm is engraved “Réussité” (“Success”). The charm and the original jump ring are stamped with French 18K guarantee marks.
- Origin: France, ca. 1930
- Condition: excellent, no enamel damage
- Dimensions: 1/2" x 11/16” excluding jump ring
- Weight: ...
A lovely early Art Nouveau 18K gold sliding locket by the acclaimed medallist Jean-Baptiste Emile Dropsy. The front cover shows a bare-shouldered woman wearing a diamond necklace and hair ornament feeding a diamond seed to a bird in mid-flight, all surrounded by a bough of chestnut leaves. The diamond accents (“habillé”) add a bit of sparkle to the design. The bird appears to be a dove, representative of “love” in Victorian symbology, while the chestnut leaves represent the sentiment ...
One Good Eye Silver
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One of my favorite "less celebrated" Taxco maestros, Gerardo Lopez has been steadily gaining in popularity among collectors of vintage Mexican silver jewelry. I suspect that he worked for the Los Castillo and / or Margot de Taxco before he started his own taller as his creations are often reminiscent of designs issued by both famous workshops. Lopez's repoussage is masterful and the finishing on his jewelry impeccable. Here, however, he espoused a more "two-dimensional" approach with evident mod...
One Good Eye Silver
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A carefully crafted copy of one of Hubert Harmon's Mexican designs, this fabulous sterling silver and amethyst belt buckle is anonymous yet, as quite often is the case, the lack of a signature does not affect the piece's quality and beauty. Based on the workmanship I suspect this may be a Casa Maya example. Casa Maya issued many of Harmon's designs in brass primarily yet they did make them in sterling as well and quite often pieces in their parures went out in the marked without full hallmarks. ...
The early hallmarks on this brooch date 1940-1945. This pin was designed by Valentin Vidaurreta. Shown with onyx stones on p.79, II-12 in "Silver Masters of Mexico", also noted in this book is that Vidaurreta produced work both in his own workshop and at the Taller Borda, and that the pieces sold at Taller Borda were marked with the HA mark until the 1950's.
This is an outstanding piece, large, exquisitely hand-crafted, and collector quality. Four tulips with amethyst centers are gently c...
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Silver : Scandinavian : Georg Jensen : Pre 1980
item #1492163
(stock #14010)
Part of an assembled demi parure the bracelet of which I will be presenting in the next couple of days, this sterling silver Danish necklace is one of Jensen’s classic designs. Elegance and impeccable craftsmanship defy the whims of time and fashion and here we have a piece of jewelry that falls under that magical category. These earlier creations of Jensen’s retain the soft, silky sculpturality of Danish Skønvirke work and the patina the silver develops over time only enhances that quality...
Spratling was known to have a large collection of Pre-Columbian Mayan & Olmec objects. He designed this necklace using hand wrought sterling silver beads, coral beads & hand carved obsidian Olmec figures most likely acquired from locals in the surrounding areas of Taxco, Mexico. The wearable length of the necklace is 16 inches and weighs 32 grams. Each carved image is unique and about 1/2" high. The necklace is in excellent condition. Clasp is tight & secure. A similar Spratling necklace with Pr...
One Good Eye Silver
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Crafted in the late 1950s or in the 1960s, this sterling silver Mexican necklace is signed by Victoria or Ana Maria Nunez de Brilanti. Victoria is one of the few female designers and silversmiths of Taxco’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance that we know of and she is credited, among others, for perfecting the “metales casados” or “married metals” technique. In this necklace, however, she adds a modernist twist to an otherwise “archeological” design. I cannot exactly pinpoint what it is th...