Catalog: Archives: Estate Jewelry (467)

Valentin Vidaurreta is one of the “giants” in Mexico’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance. And even though to most his name does not resonate in the way Spratling’s or Aguilar’s or Antonio’s does, his incredible talent and sublime craftsmanship is behind many of the designs we know, admire and covet as creations of those “big names”. The hummingbird brooch at hand is just one of those examples...

The second Erika Hult de Corral bracelet currently in my inventory (please look for item no 1189406 as well), this piece is absolutely fabulous. Quite substantial yet still comfortable to wear, its mod sterling links are studded with green, mossy agates. The bracelet feels divine around the wrist and as rare as Ric bracelets are, the specific design is even more difficult to come upon. With an inner circumference of 6 5/8" (clasped), it is perfect for smaller to medium wrists...

A trained sculptor, Felipe Martinez created some of the most amazing “mask” jewelry in the golden period of Mexico’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance. His ability to work with precious metal and stone is astounding, the two materials becoming like one whole in his inlaid designs while in his “mask” creations turning into living, breathing figures in a deeply serene sleep...

Generous in size and studded with channel and bezel set stones, this is a glorious Matilde Poulat cross whether you wear it as an expression of your spirituality or as a work of art. Matl's signature wirework and beading combined with the patina the pendant has developed over time make for a strong, eye-catching presence. The hand-wrought chain that it comes with is Mexican as well and of the same period (yet not a Matl piece) and I believe it complements it in the best possible way...

Trained as a sculptor Felipe Martinez, the founder of Piedra y Plata, is one of the best lapidaries in the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry. There is a liquid perfection that characterizes the way he fuses stone and precious metal together and the serenity on his carved “masks” seems to be flowing in from a different dimension...

Until well into the 20th c. conducting one's own archaelogical dig was not prohibited in Mexico - both Spratling and Davis are known to have engaged in personal digs and their collections were frequently enriched by the fruits of those excavations. Quite often ancient, pre-Colombian beads as well as small stone artifacts that surfaced here and there were incorporated in pieces of jewelry silversmiths made in the first decades of Mexico's Silver Renaissance...

The “enfant terrible” of Mexican silver jewelry design, Hubert Harmon moved to Mexico in 1941 where he created some fabulous and definitely quirky, statement-making pieces. I am tempted to call the big brooch presented here “the captive of love” - and I apologize if my appellation borders dangerously on the …cheesy...

Sublime is not an exaggerated description for the Antonio Pineda crescents and shells necklace presented here. This is the second necklace of this design I have been lucky to come upon this year and I am sure it will not stay with me too long either. Antonio's design flexibility, his ability to create magnificent jewelry in more than one styles is phenomenal and even though he is primarily known as a modernist, in our case he imaginatively navigates the waters of a more classic index...

Fine, .970 silver and black onyx crescents surround the wrist in this book-piece Antonio Pineda Mexican modernist bracelet. One of the renowned maestro's most popular creations, I have to admit that I love the bracelet much more than the cascading necklace of the same design. There is something fierce and assertive about the crescent-shaped links that remind me of talons...

In my opinion one of the most talented Taxco maestros, Felipe Martinez worked with Hubert Harmon for a brief period in the 1940s (see Hougart, Little Book of Mexican silver, p. 105) and created some of the most amazing jewelry in Taxco's heyday. And even though I am always impressed by the quality of the silver-work, it is mostly the lapidary work that elevates his "Piedra y Plata" creations to the level of sublime perfection...

One of the few female designers and silversmiths who contributed to Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance that we know about, Carmen Beckmann is reported in the literature to have worked primarily in the 1950s and 1960s in San Miguel de Allende. I am not sure if this is indeed the case, at least in terms of the dates when she was active and I only say this because many of the pieces by her that I have seen bore hallmarks that would indicate a pre-1948 date of crafting...

Without a doubt the “queen” of vintage Mexican silver jewelry, Matilde Poulat was an exceptional designer and, in my humble opinion, one of the country’s artists who, in their work, expressed the philosophy of the Arts and Crafts movement. Her highly textured repoussage allows us to follow the silversmith’s hand as it slides over the metal thus affording us, to an extent, a glimpse of the creative process...

How often does one find an Antonio Pineda locket pendant? Not often enough and if one does come upon such a treasure, what are the odds that it’s going to be big, bold and beautiful like the rare, fantastic example offered here? Hefty and meticulously crafted, from the twist-rope and beading detail surrounding the stone’s bezel to the dramatic amethyst oval that takes up almost the locket’s entire face, to the substantial hand-made chain (by a different maker yet perfectly matching the pen...

Antonio Pineda cuffs don't surface very often and this specific design is even more difficult to find. An ode to the art of a-symmetry, the cuff is wrought in the maestro's favorite fine ,.970 alloy and quite substantial. The stone that adorns its widest end, rich in greens and blues, is agate, I think, but it might be a very special kind of turquoise as well. Warm patina, perfectly conveyed less-is-more attitude and Antonio's exquisite finishing are all present here to please the eye. The cuff ...

Heavy Antonio Pineda Mexican silver bracelet wrought in his signature .970 alloy comprised of a series of with geometric links holding bezel set tiger's eye oval cabs on swivel pins. There is something very serious about Antonio jewelry - even his most minimalist of designs have a presence that commands respect and deference. Here the sturdiness of the silver "z" links is softened by the sense of fluidity in the molten browns and caramels of the stones. Perfect articulation with a masterfully hi...

One of the rarest pieces of Margot de Taxco's enamel jewelry, the articulated mermaid brooch is not even pictured in Morrill's relevant book except as a drawing. Sharing the same design number as the "little fish" parures, she is the dedicated collector's dream-come-true. If one is very lucky and determined to find her, one might come upon an example in blues - discovering one in golden yellow, shimmering metallic sage green and sky blue is almost impossible. Yet here she is - her lithe body eme...

A stunning Antonio Pineda modernist bracelet, its rectangular, slick links held together with bezel-set carnelian connectors, each one of which features a daringly protruding silver “tongue”. I love the gutsyness of the design and the mischievous sense of humor behind it but I am also taken with the rich color in the stones which changes hue as it responds to the changing light. Definitely an eye-catcher and one of Antonio’s designs that don’t come up very often, the bracelet measures 7 ...

Maestro Rivera is one of those contemporaries of Matilde Poulat’s who created jewelry in her manner and whose work I am always on the look-out for because of its quality and attention to detail. Based on a Matl original, the “palomas” (or “doves”) necklace at hand combines Mexico City style repousse with beading, wirework and oxidation. The two birds are shown here with wings extended, flanking a beautiful amethyst, surrounded by turquoise cabs above the central medallion’s articulat...