Catalog (322)

I have said in the past that Erika Hult de Corral is one of the few designers in the world of Mexican silver jewelry for whom I will cross the 1980 threshold without second thoughts. I believe that her talent and the quality of her work combined with the fact that she is one of the few known female contributors to the country’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance more than warrants the… “transgression”. Slick, with a footprint that allows it to be enjoyed all year round, the necklace at han...

I have said in the past that Erika Hult de Corral is among the few designers in the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry for whom I will cross the 1980 threshold. Having studies in the Parson’s School of Design in Paris, she worked with both Ledesma and Sigi Pineda in Taxco before she ventured on her own in the 1960s. Ric’s work can be inspiring when one catches her in her good moments and I am constantly in search of good examples signed by her. Her post-1980 creations often bring togeth...

Very reminiscent of the work Taxco maestro Mateo created in the 1970s and 1980s, this fine, 950 silver Mexican ring is signed by a different, unidentified maker yet its quality and strong presence make it one of the best examples of the form I have seen lately. The sculptural, substantial setting is complemented by the malachite’s rich, vibrant liquidity while the design’s recesses have been oxidized to enhance the sense of depth and dimension. If you love statement rings, this one is for yo...

Erika Hult de Corral, the award-winning modernist Taxco designer who studied in the Parson’s School of Design in Paris and worked with Sigi Pineda and Enrique Ledesma, is one of the few exceptions for which I will cross the 1980 terminus in my jewelry selection. de Corral came into her own in the 1960s and 1970s, a bit later than most of the Taxco maestros, and her creative streak took her well into the 1980s. Brilliant when she feels truly inspired, she feels at home with modernist, abstract ...

Though only known to us by his (I am assuming) initials maestro CEL is not a stranger among lovers of Matilde Poulat's exuberant jeweled designs. His creations are indeed avidly sought after as worthy alternatives to Matl's ever-ascending-in-price examples and my experience all these past years has made me look for and try to acquire his work whenever possible. CEL's jewelry is unfailingly of the best quality, with attention to finishing and detail - a characteristic that stayed constant even du...

A veritable show-stopper, this fine, .950 silver Mexican pendant combines brutalist elements with a classic Aztec Revival, beautifully carved obsidian "mask". Signed by Fernando Alvarez Mendez Mateo of Taxco, it was crafted in the post-1980 period yet is exhibits such craftsmanship, I wouldn't have been surprised if I had found an Eagle mark on it. Serene and dignified, the "mask" looks as if just emerging from the moss-covered floor of an ancient forest with the silver "flourish" under its chin...

Made in the 1980s by members of Matilde Poulat's family who continued her legacy and kept crafting jewelry she had designed, this set of long, eye-catching dangle earrings consists of cruciform stationary elements off which dangle repousse sterling silver angels in a kneeling position, holding lit candles in their hands. Matilde used this figural motif in many versions of her jeweled cross pendants and brooches and in the years after her death, when the workshop was taken over by her long time p...

It seems that I will be closing the year with modernist pieces by Erika Hult de Corral. I have already presented two of her necklaces in the last few weeks which have already found new caretakers and this evening it is time for a ring. Though rings are not an uncommon form in the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry, I have to admit that the examples available usually fall on the conservative side of design but from time to time something interesting and eye-catching shows up. This modernist ...

Vintage 1980s Talleres de Los Ballesteros Mexican modernist bracelet wrought in Antonio Pineda’s favorite .970 alloy which is richer in silver content than the standard sterling, this is a heavy, architectural piece adorned with clear, faceted, gem-quality amethysts. The stones are open on the back to maximize the effect created by the light as it passes through them and the all-silver links are substantial and very sculptural. I don’t offer post-1980 Mexican jewelry very often unless the qu...

Classic Los Ballesteros Mexican silver and mottled agate bracelet, this is an iteration of the popular "dimpled dot" design thanks to the oval links separating the bezel-set stones. One of the oldest Mexican workshops, the Los Ballesteros taller was first founded in Iguala in 1937 yet by 1941 it was moved to Taxco. The re-location seems to have brought about a change in the character of their work as well, marking the complete abandonment of traditional filigree designs that characterized their ...

Out of Enrique Ledesma’s sterling silver and gemstone line, this modernist Mexican hinged bracelet is adorned with two faceted color-change sapphires. Mimicking the behavior of alexandrites by changing hue under different light conditions, these stones are often referred to as alexandrites themselves but they are in fact synthetic corundum. Set on stems that allow them to rise above the ribbon-like applique at the bracelet’s face, the gems go from deep amethyst to a steely purple, their spar...

Signed by a listed “middle period” Taxco maestro primarily known for his repousse work, this 1950s carved azur-malachite and sterling “mask” pendant necklace is as stunning as it is unexpected. Dark blues, deep greens and earthy browns add depth and gravity to the stone, making the ancient figure’s features as stern in sleep as they must have been in that life lived centuries ago. The “mask” is big and bold and I love the generous prongs holding it in place at the top like bent ant...

Exquisite Matl Salas Mexican silver, coral and turquoise brooch, I believe this piece to have been made in the years following Matilde Poulat’s death in 1960 based on the quality of the materials used and the high level of craftsmanship. Maestro Salas, Matl’s nephew, worked alongside his aunt for most of Matilde’s career and upon her demise, he (and later his family) took over the workshop and continued making jewelry based on Poulat’s designs. Steeped in Mexico’s folk tradition, the b...

It is always vexing when a hallmark eludes identification and this is (almost) the case with the towering vintage silver ring at hand. Brutalist in design, having a big, semi-translucent chrysoprase cabochon nested in its elevated setting, it bears a partial hallmark which has been suggested to me is probably a maker’s mark from Spain. Home of renowned modernist designers such as Joachim S’Paliu and Puig Doria, Spain sounds like a plausible place of origin for our 1970s ring. Currently a sz ...

Breathtakingly beautiful this vintage sterling silver cuff bracelet, Navajo or Southwestern based on the style, is one of those pieces that become heirlooms. Exceptionally well crafted, it is centered by a huge oval lace agate, the color of the stone showing at times powdery blue, at times light grey. Set in a fine saw-tooth bezel, the agate is surrounded by beading and beautiful, richly layered foliate and floral overlay. This is a signed piece, as you can see in the last photo, but I have not ...

A puzzling piece - though it is signed “Birks”, the hallmark does not look like the Canadian company’s commonly encountered marks - this vintage sterling vermeil pin is a small work of art. Slender and elegant, the flower it represents consists of a textured silver stem while its leaves and bloom are made of molded jadeite glass. The glass is supple and glistens thanks to the glaze that was applied over it and the brooch has that romantic, nature-loving air of 1940s jewelry. Its findings a...

Less-is-more is definitely the way Carmen Beckmann chose to go with this vintage Mexican sterling silver and amethyst ring. Set in a disk adorned with overlay and oxidation, it brings to mind a perfectly round stone as it touches the water causing it to ripple. Easy to wear whatever the occasion and a beautiful example of Mexican modernist jewelry. Currently a sz 6 US (easily resizable by your jeweler) the ring has a face that is 7/8” in diameter and it weighs 8.3 grams. It is marked with make...

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...