Catalog (327)

Bigger in size than the most frequently encountered version of the specific design and executing a different step, this vintage Margot de Taxco “ballerina” brooch is Mexico’s contribution to the ballet craze started by Van Cleef et Arpels in the 1940s, with the issuance of their gem-studded “ballerina” jewelry. And even though we don’t have sparkling diamonds and fine gold here, the sense of harmony and serenity our long-, slender-armed dancer seems to exude is equally precious and h...

Confident in his prowess as a warrior and comfortable in his ceremonial attire this Margot de Taxco silver and enamel Aztec figure can be enjoyed both as a brooch as well as a pendant. Though experimentation with the art of enameling started while Margot was still part of the Los Castillo workshop, it was after her divorce with Antonio that she focused on perfecting it in her own, independent taller. And perfect it she did. So much so that today, when one thinks of Mexican enamel jewelry, one un...

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 ...

Matching the set of earrings that is also available in my store (you can see the demi together in two of the photos) this Mexican silver and azur-malachite ring by maestro Felipe Martinez is an ode to the power of color. Striking greens and dark, rich blues delight the eye while the elegance of the sterling ring shoulders complement in the best possible way the magic of the stone. Currently a sz because of the size it comes with (easily removed) the ring is an sz 7 (can also be easily resized). ...

One of the best lapidaries in Taxco’s jewelry history, Felipe Martinez created amazing jewelry in many styles. The classy sterling silver and azur-malachite earrings at hand follow the “mozaico Azteca” line that was introduced by the Los Castillo workshop. Rich, dark blues, understated safe and a breath-taking splash of electric green come together in the stone inlay held securely in the most minimal “gypsy” setting. Simple does not mean simplistic! The earrings measure 3/4” square a...

Elegant and romantic, this vintage Mexican silver and amethyst brooch bears the signature of Margot de Taxco, one of the few female designers of Mexico’s 20th c Silver Renaissance known to us today. Reflective of the 1940s trend towards jewelry inspired by nature, the brooch looks delicate and tender yet its silver-work is confident, substantial and perfectly finished. I love the soft curve of the floral stem and the way the amethyst bud rests serenely on the pierced leaf. Measuring 3” tall...

One of Salvador Teran’s original designs that is difficult to find especially in the form of earrings, the “crouching man” is also a favorite of mine. Its rarity makes copies by Salvador's contemporary maestros avidly sought after and I am happy to present here an example by “3m”, a Taxco workshop known for emulating the renowned modernist’s work. Sterling silver, amethyst and strategically applied oxidation combine in this modernist interpretation of an ancient Aztec motif. The ear...

Substantial and quite unusual in its design this modernist Mexican silver bracelet is an Enrique Ledesma creation and it is adorned with two faceted color-change sapphires. The bracelet’s shape reminds me of ancient torques yet here the two ends bypass each other in a tight, determined embrace. I love the way the sterling tube grows in diameter as it progresses to the bracelet’s front where it is abruptly cut at an angle to accept the gemstone in a crown setting. Enrique Ledesma - always ori...

It has been a while since I offered jewelry from Peru and this is the first in a series I will be presenting in the next few weeks. Very reminiscent of the style of Graziella Laffi, the so-called “Spralting of Peru”, the figural combination brooch / pendant at hand is adorned with polychrome enamel, hand-chased details and oxidation. The colors are vibrant and the workmanship of very high quality,. Yet what I like the most is that sense of imminent motion, so intense one can almost see the b...

Every now and again, I will bump into a piece of Mexican jewelry incorporating an ancient artifact. Be that clay masks, carved little effigies or beads, they are always a treat and a source of great excitement. And when that piece is also signed by one of the big Taxco workshops, like the bracelet at hand, then it’s a real holiday! Out of their “mixed metals” line, this Los Castillo silver, brass and copper hinged bracelet is literally built around an amazing, silky smooth agate bead. Dark...

Graciously aged sterling silver, green stone inlay and warmly glowing copper combine in this Enrique Ledesma Mexican modernist necklace. Ledesma is a favorite Taxco maestro of mine - his modernism is soft and close to the heart; his designs emphasizing gently curving lines that are only enhanced by the richness of earth colors his inlays come in. The elements in the piece at hand are well known to the lover of the maestro’s jewelry yet the addition of the copper “animal teeth” leads to a w...

Habitually referred to as the “Spratling of Peru”, Italian-born Graziella Laffi spearheaded Peru’s own Silver Renaissance in the 1950s. Based on ingenious re-interpretations of ancient Inca motifs, her jewelry, decorative objects and holloware are avidly sought after by committed collectors for their impeccable craftsmanship and inspired design. The set of figural earrings presented here, wrought in sterling silver with overlay and hand-etched details, is a small work of wearable art that...

Originally a painter who in the 1930s moved to Mexico to participate in the country’s cultural scene, Bernice Goodspeed quickly moved into designing and selling her own jewelry out of the store she and her fellow-artist husband Carl Pappe opened in Taxco. Bernice’s work does not come up often and I am very excited to have found this repousse necklace by her. The rose links, very reminiscent of the classic “Rosas de Mexico” that often adorn cuffs by Sanborn’s and Maciel, are at the same...

Sleek modernism and heavy sterling combine in this Sigi Pineda bracelet which seems to be one of the maestro’s earlier creations and a relatively harder piece to find as well. Perfect finishing, generous weight, a blissful marriage of glistening silver and dark oxidation and inspired design, all features that make Sigi jewelry exceptional can be seen at work here. What a beauty indeed… The bracelet has a 6 3/4” inner circumference (clasped)and its width varies between 1 1/16″ and 5/8"....

I love pearls and when they are nested in an Antonio Pineda fine silver modernist setting, I consider myself in heaven! All the more so when it’s three glorious, softly shimmering pearls we are talking about. Graduated in size and each one a different hue, they are comfortably sitting in their precious channel, as if their only concern is to showcase the variety of nacre colors. The ring is a sz 8 1/2 US and 7/16” wide. It weighs 12.2 grams and is signed with Antonio's crown as shown alongs...

Possibly my most favorite Carmen Beckmann ring design (an example lives in my jewelry box), her Etruscan style domed creation presented here is an ode to wire-work and micro-beading. It rises regally above the finger yet because of all those curved, glistening surfaces, it never creates problems to the wearer like most rings that are so high do. And though its “stature” is by itself impressive, it is all those nooks and crannies among the profusion of design elements coming together here tha...

The combination of fine purity silver with silky, shimmering pearls is among my favorite when it comes to Antonio Pineda’s work. And the modernist floral brooch I am presenting here is a superb example not only of the renowned Taxco maestro’s exceptional sense of design but also of the quality of materials he used. I love the fluid, curvaceous body of the elongated “pod” and the tender forcefulness (I know, a contradiction in terms, right?) with which the stamens emerge out of it. Slick ...

Stern and solemn, a gorgeous example of classic Mexican Deco lapidary work, the chrysoprase “mask” centering the silver pendant at hand looks dignified and at ease, completely unaffected by the weight of its ornate headdress. The hefty, entirely hand-wrought chain that accompanies it is, I believe, original to the necklace and perfectly reflects the pendant’s heaviness. Signed by one of Taxco’s “less celebrated” maestros, those listed in the relevant literature yet still unidentified...