Catalog (325)

How big does a piece of jewelry have to be before it qualifies to be called monumental? I think at 4.25'“ tall, this Mexican Deco butterfly brooch definitely fits the bill. Fauna- and flora-themed pieces are not rare within the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry yet examples of astounding proportions like our brooch come far and in between. The semi-translucence of the stone is here enhanced by the variegated color which progresses from lucid white to sage green. And even though the stone...

Matilde Poulat needs no introduction to the seasoned Mexican silver collector but I believe her work is equally appreciated by all lovers of bold, earthy, hand-crafted jewelry. Matl’s creations have a unique, powerful character - there is nothing timid or hesitant about them and I cherish them for exactly that. The ring presented here is a design that comes up less frequently than some of her other rings. It features Poulat’s signature wire-work ornamentation and channel-set turquoise cabs b...

Dating in the first decades of the 20th c. this Italian Renaissance Revival necklace is wrought in .800 silver and adorned with flat-cut and cabochon sodalite. In the same style as “Grand Tour” jewelry popularized by the Peruzzi and Coppini houses in Florence, this piece features grape clusters and leaves while also showcasing shell, floral garland and rosette links in its ornate chain. Good casting and beautiful patina render the design three-dimensional and I do love the unexpected brown s...

In my last treasure-hunting adventure I ended up with a couple of really really nice cross pendants and necklaces. The first one to gain center stage is this two-sided Flli Coppini Italian silver example. Executed in the .800 alloy that was the Italian standard until 1934, the pendant is crisply cast and its profusion of detail and ornamentation is easily readable to the eye. A generously-sized piece, it is shown in one of the photos here with a Peruzzi / Coppini style silver chain so you can ge...

An ode to Mexico’s ancient crafts this “tribal” necklace wrought in sterling silver with bone links and agate beads bears the signature of Reveriano (Reveri) Castillo. Though the Castillos did, on occasion, incorporate Aztec and Maya artifacts and beads in their jewelry, I believe that here the materials used are contemporary to the designer but brought together is such a way as to evoke ancient types of personal adornment. Everything here is hand-made, with the help of the most rudimentar...

An American who arrived in Mexico in the 1940s, opened her own workshop in 1945 and by 1950 employed about twenty five artisans*, Doris is one of the few female designers that we know of in the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry. My first encounter with her creations wasn’t until a few years into my “career” as a Mexican jewelry dealer and I was immediately captivated by the exquisite design, the impeccable craftsmanship and the quality of the materials used. I have seen kept my eyes...

An iconic motif in the index of Mexican Deco jewelry design, “masks” can be found carved in stone, molded in glass, created in inlay or enamel but also en repoussage like in the brooch presented here. Made by maestro Barrera in Mexico City most probably, its workmanship follows that city’s school of repousse jewelry of which Matilde Poulat is the most renowned creator. A stippled and oxidized background accentuates the raised, warmly glowing elements of the design, bringing to the fore in ...

Impressive in its generous width, with a gorgeous greenish blue turquoise bezel-set in its central station, this early Matilde Poulat silver bracelet is wrought en repoussage in the “Mexico City style“ she came to represent. Malt’s repousse work leaves the journey of the silversmith’s tools on the jewelry created intentionally visible and that for me brings her close to the philosophy of the Arts and Crafts movement. Yet she is also as “Mexican Deco” as anyone could ever be - her pie...

Glistening caramel golds and molten browns dominate in this Cecilia Tono Mexican modernist bang ring. This is one of my favorite Taxco collaborations - the jewelry that came out of it slick and inventive with the highest quality of craftsmanship and the best of materials. There is nothing excessive about this ring - except maybe the heftiness of its oxidized setting - yet it immediately attracts the eye and holds the gaze captive with its liquid warmth and its generous width. The ring is a comfo...

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...

One of the techniques the Los Castillo workshop pioneered, “pluma Azteca” uses dyed bird feathers as inlay to adorn jewelry and other decorative items. Quite impressive in their colorful vibrancy, the feathers can also be vulnerable, especially when they are left exposed, resulting in a rather small number of “pluma” jewelry having survived over the years. The articulated torque-type necklace at hand is a wonderful exception. Combining the slick minimalism of its modernist silver-work wi...

A retailer active in the 1930s and 1940s, Ingrid's was - according to Bille Hougart - known for their high quality hollowware and jewelry which they commissioned from the best Taxco maestros. Sometimes their pieces are also signed by Chato Castillo who seems to have sold work of his through them and more often than not, at least based on my experience, Ingrid's jewelry is big, bold and beautiful! Take the fantastic "Aztec Revival" bracelet at hand as a representative example - or should I call i...

In the years I have been buying and selling vintage Mexican silver jewelry I have seen many "mask" pieces - this is, after all, one of the "pillars" in the genre's design index and I am also very partial to it and always on the look out for good examples. I have to also admit that seeing jewelry of a certain kind over and over again makes one a little more blasé and hence, more difficult to impress. Yet impressed I was with this astounding combination pin / pendant I am presenting here. Monumen...

One of my favorite insect designs in the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry, this “machine age” dragonfly is known as a Los Castillo creation yet here it is signed by a “less celebrated” Taxco maestro. What first attracted me to this creature is its “industrial”, perforated wings that make the dragonfly look more delicate but awe-inspiring at the same time. Carefully hand-crafted and perfectly finished, the brooch is decorated with three polished agate cabochons. Green is for sp...

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. Yet I have come upon his works several times during my years of buying and selling vintage Mexican silver and our lack of information notwithstanding, I have come to appreciate the hig...

One of the most talented, innovative maestros of Mexico’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance, Jose Luis Flores created some amazing designs that were sold not only under his own name but bore the hallmarks of Miguel Martinez, Emma Melendez and Rubi Ramirez as well. His slick designs, obviously influenced by modernist principles, are imaginative; the finishing on his jewelry flawless and their appeal timeless - no wonder he was the genius behind many pieces that came out in the market with Hector Aguil...

Breath-taking both in proportions and its masterfully executed repoussage this sterling silver Mexican Deco belt buckle is simply unbelievable. Its two mirrored parts represent Quetzalcoatl, the divine Moesoamerican Feathered Serpent, a motif which appears quite often in vintage Mexican silver jewelry. I have seen this specific design in buckle form signed by Doris in the past - my example is hallmarked yet not for maker and though the lack of signature is always vexing, it does not at all affec...

Deeply carved so as to represent folds in a fancy bow tie the green agate in this big Mexican Deco brooch has beautiful color variation and is pleasantly "soft" to the touch. The substantial stone is generously backed in silver and held in place with sturdy, hand-wrought prongs. Classically Deco, I also find it rather tongue-in-cheek, an elegant "mockery" of the stiffness of "proper attire". The brooch measures 3" wide by 1 1/2" tall and weighs 33.6 grams. It is marked "SILVER MEXICO", dates in ...