Chunky fine, .970 silver and gorgeous, appetizingly curvaceous tiger's eye spheres come together in this set of Mexican cufflinks by Taxco's renowned modernist, Antonio Pineda. The specific design is very popular in necklace and bracelet form but when it surfaces, it is usually with chrysoprase or aventurine or some other green stone. This is the first time I have seen it with tiger's eye and I have to admit, I love the combination...

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...

Circa mid-century, this hinged bracelet was produced by Erika Hult de Corral and has her unmistakeable style. Rare to see one of her pieces executed in 980 silver as this one is. Hult worked with both Sigi Pineda and Enrique Ledesma before opening her own shop, and the influence of Sigi Pineda can certainly be seen in this bracelet.

It's a beautiful bangle bracelet, hinged on both sides to swing wide open...

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.

Circa mid-century, these earrings are a rare find. Produced by Margot de Taxco, these are a book-piece design shown on page 34 of Margot Van Voorhies : The Art of Mexican Enamelwork. Both earrings and original design drawing are shown.

Referred to as "Egyptian Scroll", the colors are bright and vibrant. Gold, black, and green enamel.

Measure 1 9/16" x 1 1/4"...

Hand-wrought in its entirety and a design that I have never encountered before, this early Mexican silver repousse necklace is an anonymous beauty. Its early date is attested to by the fact that it's strung on cotton thread (one of the earliest Aguilar "lyre" necklaces I sold was strung on cotton as well) and has a spring ring clasp. Not signed for maker nor metal content or origin, it is adorned by an elongated cascabela attached to the central station in an adorable yet naive way...

It's been a very long time since I offered a Mexican clamper bracelet and I am happy to be starting again with a classic Taxco design, this repousse and shadowbox "Quetzalcoatl" example. The maestro who signs it I am familiar with - he worked in Taxco and it seems that clamper bracelets were one of his favorite forms...

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...

Per the Spratling Silver website, these earrings were only produced between 1958-1967. These William Spratling earrings are stunning, with eight shiny discs and tiny beading. Each disc moves independent of the others, creating beautiful movement. Measures 1 1/2" tall, 7/8" wide. Screw backs work perfectly. Signed and hallmarked with the WS Script Circle and eagle assay 30. Weight is 11.2 grams. In excellent vintage condition.

Circa pre-1940, this set of Matilde Poulat bird pins are signed with her early hallmarks. Collector quality, beautifully hand-crafted, with superb repoussé silver work, this matching pair of doves feature turquoise eyes, with one bird facing left and the other facing right. Absolutely fabulous.

Each measures 1 3/8" x 1 1/8"...

One of the few female designers of Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance that we know of, Bernice Goodspeed arrived in Mexico's capital in 1930, according to Bille Hougart. Even though she and her painter husband, Carl Pappe, identified as writers and artists primarily, they opened a shop in Taxco where they sold not only their books and artwork but also jewelry that Bernice herself designed...

Maestro C. Molina is one of those “enigmatic” figures of Mexico’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance. Even in Bille Hougart’s seminal work on hallmarks and makers there is minimal information about him - namely, two or three examples of the way his jewelry is hallmarked and the photos are really difficult to read...

An excellent late Victorian silver baton link watch chain, the batons decorated with niello in a checkboard pattern. The batons are joined by gilt silver curb links. Even the dog clip and bolt clasps are enhanced with striped niello. The chain is stamped “800.”

• Origin: Switzerland, ca. 1900
• Condition: excellent, all niello intact
• Length: 16-1/2”
• Weight: 10.4 grams

Stunning vintage 1970s modernist collar necklace in sterling silver with a large genuine rock crystal quartz stone. Marked ALTON SWEDEN 935 STERLING (935 is actually a higher silver content than sterling, which is of course 925). Great statement from all angles. Easy to slip on and off. Inside circumference/wearable length is about 17 to 18 inches, including the gap, which is 2 inches. The rock crystal stone and setting is 3/4 inch...

American Modernist Bronze Vintage Abstract Ring

Carl Tasha - signed

c.1970s

Excellent condition

size 6

front - 1 3/8" x 1"

Beautiful earrings in classic MATL style. By Matilde Poulat of Mexico City. Circa 1950. Marked MATL in script, 925, and MEXICO, and both earrings are marked with eagle 129, which is the correct number. The screwbacks, which are original, are marked ALPACA, which is of course a white metal alloy. With detailed baroque wirework, tiny turquoise cabochons with beautifully aged green color, and pyramidal amethysts. 1 1/2 inches long and just under 1 inch wide. Excellent condition. One ame...

Stunning antique Austro Hungarian silver girandole drop earrings in 935 silver with glass paste stones, in an 18th century style. Circa 1910. 935 silver is a bit higher in silver content than sterling, and the designation was used in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. The design and construction are characteristic of Austro Hungarian jewelry. Marked 935. With screwbacks. The stones are held in tiny prong settings. The backs of the earrings are as finely and ornately finished as the fronts. The l...

A vintage large sterling silver and pearl Mid Century Modernist brooch in the style of Betty Cooke or Ed Wiener. Consists of three boomerang shaped pieces of thick sterling, tapering at the ends. Measures 3 1/2" across and 3" high. Has a rollover safety clasp that holds securely. Has some minor surface scratches and a little tarnish. Well made with a stunning design. Great studio piece.

Fabulous vintage necklace with thirteen glowing "dragon's breath" glass cabochons simulating fire opals, in baroque, deeply worked settings. Marked STERLING, TAXCO, EMMA, and numbered 279. This is the mark of Emma Melendez of Taxco, active 1953-1971. Slide clasp. 16 inches wearable length and 7/8 inch wide. Excellent condition. Photos enlarged to show detail. Display form is life size.

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...

Known for her bold modernist designs and her love for big, gem- and stone-studded bracelets Carmen Beckmann was equally creative when allowing the Spanish Colonial tradition to influence her work. That “old way” of doing things manifests itself here in the heart-shaped wire-work appliques that support the luscious tiger’s eye cabochon, bringing to mind the more delicate, ornate filigree jewelry every silversmith in the country knew how to make. Everything else, however, from the oversized ...

Undoubtedly the result of artistic cross-pollination this vintage Mexican silver neck ring pendant necklace emits an intense Scandinavian vibe . Evocative of Danish modernist jewelry, it is not just the shapes that refer to it but also the choice of sodalite cabochons to accompany the warmly glowing silver. Slick, elegant, versatile - a combination which still speaks to our modern eye even though created almost a century ago. The neck ring has an inner circumference of 16” (including the 1 1/...

Impressively long and beguilingly slick with its glowing tapering dangles half-hiding a bullet-shaped piece of black onyx, this is one of Antonio Pineda’s most eye-catching set of earrings. Simple yet visually strong lines that re-affirm the philosophy of less-is-more in the world of adornment; smooth as silk, dancer-like motion; fleshy geometry (if you allow me the word combination), all come together and become a piece of wearable art in the hands of Mexico’s modernist magician. Measuring ...

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...

Symbols of fertility, rebirth, transformation and even immortality snakes and serpents have been favorite jewelry motifs through the centuries and across civilizations. In this Mexican Deco demi signed by the Los Castillo they are formed by silver, copper and brass, their slick bodies coiled around shimmering golden sheen obsidian. This is one of the best examples of the technique I have seen by the Los Castillo - probably because I love snake jewelry. Yet how could I say otherwise? Just look at...

I love vintage Portuguese silver bracelets, the repousse hinged bangles more specifically, for which makers like Topazio and Safir are well known. They come in all sizes and designs, they are ideal for bracelet stacks but can be just as easily enjoyed worn alone. The example at hand is floral, with sculptural roses and dahlias in full bloom and in bud running its perimeter, rendered more dramatic by the patina time has bestowed upon them. The bracelet has an 7” inner circumference (clasped) an...

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...

"Mask" jewelry is not a rarity in the world of vintage Mexican silver yet the portrayals are almost always of ancient, Mesoamerican faces. And even though I am a very big fan of them as long as both the carving and the setting is interesting, I am thrilled to be presenting here a big brooch by A. Tobias housing the portrait of a more "contemporary" man. There is something in this "mask" that screams "Roman" to me and I know the typology might not even justify it but that was my initial reaction ...

This mid-century kinetic design necklace is the work of Erika Hult de Corral.

It's a stunning signature piece which features an extra-long length of 28 1/2". Erika Hult de Corral studied at the Parsons School of Design in Paris, later on working with both Sigi Pineda and Enrique Ledesma before opening her own shop.

Moon crater balls and long tubes combine on the sides, with a centerpiece which has free swinging pendulums of varying lengths. Closes with a tight and secure to...

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...

These very rare earrings from Margot de Taxco are a curled ribbon design, with synthetic pink tourmaline stones dangling below. The stones are a star cut, and they are gorgeous. Measuring 2" tall and 15/16" wide, these show up beautifully. Signed and hallmarked "Margot de Taxco 5429 Sterling Made in Mexico", with the eagle assay 16. They have been converted professionally to clips, and they are super comfortable to wear and very secure. Weight is 26.1 grams. In excellent vintage condition.

Superbly crafted, profusely decorated and visually powerful this early Mexico City repousse figural brooch is an a rather rare example of vermeil silver jewelry from the country's 20th c. Silver Renaissance. I will admit that I am not particularly fond of vermeil - I love the look and feel of aged silver without "enhancements" that make it look like something it is actually not. Yet there are those very very scarce moments when a piece like this shows up and it makes me reconsider. Worn after ye...

Circa 1940-1945, this pin was produced by Los Castillo. It's an early piece which was designed by Margot van Voorhies Carr / Margot de Taxco. This is a superbly crafted piece, showing a koi fish swimming atop a blue glass stone which is filled with bubbles. Exquisitely detailed with wonderful repoussé silver work, it's a gorgeous showpiece. Measures 3 3/8" x 2". Weight is 29.8 grams. Signed and hallmarked "Los Castillo Taxco Sterling Made in Mexico", with the design # 514. In exc...

Stunning in its towering smokey brilliance, this minimalist solitaire by Carmen Beckmann is a modernist Mexican beauty! Based in San Miguel de Allende Beckmann is reported to have started her activity a little later than the big Mexico City and Taxco workshops with most of her pieces dating in the 1950s and 1960s. In the ring at hand, the generously sized faceted gem is raised above a substantial geometric shank, held in place with sterling prongs in a crown-style setting. The stone has the colo...

This Los Castillo bracelet is a truly stunning piece, with a wonderful deco design. There are six gently curved panels connected with oxidized bulls-eye spirals, from which two pendants dangle in front. This is Los Castillo's design # 788, and it is collector quality. Complete with safety chain. Measures a closed, wearable length of 6 1/4". Width in front with the dangles is 1 1/2". Weight is 42.3 grams. Signed and hallmarked "Los Castillo Taxco", 788, with a very worn eagle assay.

Maestro Damaso Gallegos was for years associated in my mind with the Mexican Deco "Christmas jewelry” tradition. His “holly and bells” as well as “bow and bells” designs are a classic way to celebrate the coming of the holiday season yet in the last couple of years I keep stumbling upon totally unexpected pieces by him. The massive, early Taxco combination pin / pendant with the carved stone “mask” at hand is crafted in high purity, .980 silver with overlay, beading and oxidation. ...