Catalog: Archives: Estate Jewelry (467)

Vintage Chinese silver brooch in the form of a phoenix, the bird's magnificence illustrated with vibrant enamels. This is one of the most attractive pins I have had recently - I also love its size; not tiny nor overwhelmingly big, it can be worn easily even every day. In excellent vintage condition with absolutely no losses in the enamel (just a couple of very tight, short surface cracks here and there) and the vermeil in very good shape as well...

Stunning vintage Italian sterling silver charm bracelet wrought in the Etruscan style and adorned by 5 chunky, spectacular fob charms with big, bezel set green gems. I love these pieces for their "shock and awe" approach to accesorizing that goes hand in hand with the boldness and seductive-ness of Europe's Southernmost coasts! Usually crafted in 800 or 900 silver, Etruscan bracelets are work intensive to make with their dozens of florets, beading and meticulous wirework. In our case, the...

Based in Mexico City Plateria FarFan made some truly exquisite pieces - I love their massive mesh-style bracelets and necklaces (please take a look at item nos 1074808 and 1090049 for representative examples currently in my inventory) as well as their heavy charm bracelets. What is presented here, however, is a stunning repousse creation that bears their name - exquisitely detailed; elaborate yet carefully executed design; and minimalist carved amethyst "masks" make this a stupendous bracelet...

Wonderful Peruzzi, Florence Italian earrings dating in the Deco years, this set is wrought in 800 silver which was the standard for Italian jewelers until 1934. A heart-shaped set, it is adorned with floral and foliate motifs and has tiny little "mock bells" hanging off it. Beautifully made and early they measure just shy of 2" long by 7/8" wide and weigh 13.5 grams (for the set)...

Iconic Mexican silver and amethyst ring bearing Fred Davis’s signature, this is a Deco beauty and a Davis classic! Adjustable due to its open shank, it is topped by a massive stone housed in a tiered, angular setting. Presently a sz 7 its face is 1 1/8″ by 3/4″ and it rises approx. 5/8″ off finger when worn. The ring weighs 15.7 grams and is signed with Fred Davis’s conjoined initials as shown as well as “MADE IN MEXICO”...

Classic sterling silver repousse necklace from French Indochina, this is an exquisitely made piece its links brimming with small chrysanthemum flowers, buds and leaves. Possibly made by Chinese silversmiths of the diaspora, it is a pleasure to wear and I love the way it combines classic Chinese motifs with the angularity of Deco design. The necklace is 15 3/8" long (wearable) with its width varying between 1" and 5/16". It weighs 41.2 grams and is marked "INDOCHINA" and "SILVER FRENCH"...

Out of Mexico's "archaeological" design trend, an early Deco bracelet that combines beautifully aged silver with deeply colored amethyst cabochons. The overlaid motif, meticulously hand-cut, chased and etched, has been perfectly applied on the curved link and represents a scene of Mexico's pre-Colombian rituals. The bracelet measures 7 1/8" long (wearable) by 1 5/8" wide and weighs 58.2 grams. It dates in the 1930s-40s period and is simply marked "SILVER MEXICO"...

Classic early Deco Mexican silver repousse bracelet, its two hinged parts consisting of several rows of repousse semi-spheres dotted with bezel-set amethyst cabochons. This is an iconic design and it comes in several widths - the rarity in the example presented here is that in addition to the small stones, there is a series of three big amethysts applied on the vertical that dissects the front "wing" in two...

I have a weakness for big, hinged bangle bracelets and am always on the look-out for interesting designs. And this one really caught my attention! Early, dating in the pre-1948 period, and adorned with three gorgeous alexandrite simulants, it is also diamond-etched and boasts stylized foliate cut-outs...

Steeped in Mexico's rich cultural past, vintage silver Quetzalcoatl jewelry are stunning and one of my favorite sub-genres in the Taxco field. I have seen many variations of the divine Feathered Serpent, some times in repousse and others carved and overlaid like here...

Signed by one of the best repousse makers of Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance who unfortunately remains still unidentified, this clamper draws on the country's rich pre-Colombian past and is in fact based on a Los Castillo design, if I am not mistaken. Shaped like an imposing Maya or Aztec warrior with the most impressive headdress of feathers and gems the two wings meet at the front with the figures looking in different directions...

I have a special affinity for early Mexican silver brooches - the bigger they are, the deeper I fall in love with them and it wasn't difficult to become infatuated with the unusual example offered here. I have not seen this design before and I find its combination of amethyst and hand-cut quartz beads truly stunning. The flower's starburst formation is also unique - a dizzying beauty...

The combination of copper and sterling is one of the best moments of vintage Mexican silver jewelry - just take a look at the necklace presented here with its highly detailed silver koi fish hugging warmly mellowed copper semi-spheres. A known Los Castillo design, most presumably also a Margot creation from the period she was fascinated by Japanese art, I just never tire of it nor any of its known variations...

Beautiful, heavy vintage Deco necklace in the style of Aguilar's "half tubular link" design, I am not sure how to present this to you and what attribution to make. It is not signed at all but the construction, weight and quality make me believe that it could be a Hector original...

Entirely hand-wrought in a style that brings to mind early Matilde Poulat pieces this is a monumental, early Mexican Deco bracelet. Comprised of four curved links, it resembles a hinged bangle more than a link bracelet because it holds its shape firmly when you have it on - just like a bangle would. There is no way I could ever exaggerate the depth and complexity of its repousse - this is astonishing work, immaculately executed, having a patina that lends more drama and depth to it. The carved j...

Classic Deco Mexico City work, this bracelet is a stunner and perfect to set the festive mood for the holidays yet not necessarily limited to this part of the year. One of the most visually impressive early pieces of this type (and quite hard to find), its links are big floral wreaths surrounding stylized bows and the bracelet is studded with turquoise cabochons. I haven't touched the patina but you could always give it a buff, if you like. Either way, the compliments will not stop coming. Havin...

Horacio de la Parra is one of the early Taxco maestros whose work I am constantly on the look out for - I think the bracelet presented here amply illustrates the reasons for that. Though not as prolific as others in jewelry making (Parra is known for his high quality holloware), Parra's repoussage can be down right stupendous. In our case, the complexity of the design and the challenge it poses to the artistry of the silversmith executing it, make his feat even more incredible. And please just n...

Vintage Taxco silver by pass ring bearing the signature of Pedro Castillo, a member of the renowned family of silversmiths and designers who worked for Spratling and was a maestro at Aguilar’s Taller Borda. In 1940 Pedro opened his own workshop and is mostly known for his high quality flatware yet his jewelry, though they do not surface very often, is worth looking for. Impressive size and intricate as well as carefully executed design elevate this by pass ring to the level of miniature master...