Catalog (326)

A classic combination for Enrique Ledesma, the marrying of sterling and stone, makes this vintage Mexican bracelet an easily recognizable creation by the renowned Taxco modernist. The stone is here azur-malachite, I believe, with greens and browns predominant and the warmth of the silver casings adds a certain "inner glow" to it. The bracelet offers a glimpse of its life story in an inscription on the back of one link - romantic and rare yet if you would rather have it removed, it can be easily ...

A classic design for renowned Taxco modernist Enrique Ledesma, this set of vintage sterling silver Mexican mid-century earrings comes with clips and is set with green inlay, possibly azur-malachite or some kind of agate. There is nothing fussy about the pair - good, honest materials, clarify of form and fluidity of lines. Isn't that the essence of modernism? Measuring 1 1/8" tall by 3/4" wide the earrings weigh 9.8 grams (for the set) and are fully and appropriately signed with maker's name as ...

Sold through Plateria Cortes this Taxco mid-century silver and stone necklace is signed by Enrique Ledesma and indeed considered a classic example of the Mexican modernist. Ledesma excelled in the marriage of sterling and semi-precious or hard stones is sleek, minimalist designs so his jewelry has a timeless appeal and is very much relevant today as it was when it first saw the day of light. It seems that here we have two kinds of stones, both of them in hues of green and brown, set in channels ...

An applied shimmering sterling double boomerang, riveted on the highly polished and oxidized body catches the eye in this vintage Mexican silver bracelet by renowned Taxco modernist Enrique Ledesma. A successful marriage of the link and bangle forms, it is made up of three articulated “wings” and when worn maintains is circular shape perfectly. It’s been a while since I offered an example of this specific Ledesma line and I am very happy to be presenting this piece today. An erudite illust...

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...

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...

A rather rare design - I have never encountered it before - by Enrique Ledesma, this pair of earrings brings to mind classical representations of the Aztec Sun Disk yet, in fact, the figure centering them is Tlaltecuhtli, one of the Mexica Earth deities, often referred to as the Earth Monster. Very rich in detail and exhibiting a crispness that makes the various motifs easily readable to the eye, the earrings have aged wonderfully, with their oxidation adding depth to the relief and enhancing th...

I could never exaggerate the sparkle of the two big, faceted color-change sapphires that adorn the opposing “wings” forming the face of the modernist Enrique Ledesma Mexican hinged bracelet at hand! Set here against untreated sterling (quite often, Ledesma uses niello-type oxidation to enhance the contrast between gemstone and silver) the stones pass from amethyst to a steely purple under different light conditions thus mimicking the behavior of alexandrites. The bracelet has an inner circ...

One of Taxco's foremost modernists, Enrique Ledesma was also an accomplished lapidary and his slick, mid-century jewelry often feature a seamless marriage of silver with semi-precious and other stones. In the bracelet presented here, the green inlay is ridged and discreetly held in its sterling setting creating a row of elongated shield-shaped links that moves smoothly and easily conforms to the wrist. Lovely patina, beautiful color variation and a great signature make this a must-have for your ...

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...

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...

Made up of heavily “pitted” and oxidized beads, tubular links and a central medallion with asymmetrical dangles this Erika Hult de Corral Mexican silver necklace is an ode to modernism peppered with a touch of brutalism. Ric (as de Corral signs her pieces) has created a few versions of this particular design that I like to refer to as “moonscapes” and they are all a pleasure to wear and to behold. One of the few talented female contributors to Mexico’s 20th c. Silver Renaissance that ...

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 ...

A graduate of the Parson's School of Design in Paris, Erika Hult de Corral is one of my favorite modernist designers and silversmiths in the context of Mexican silver jewelry. Spanning a few decades, her work is unfailingly of the highest quality with attention paid not only to materials but also to finishing and, of course, imaginative design. The ring presented here, wrought in sterling and centered by a scrumptious tiger's eye stone, can also be found with Enrique Ledesma's signature. Since ...

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 ...

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 ...

Exuding a primordial strength and keeping its secrets well hidden under layers of hand-etched scales, beading and overlay this stunning creature - I see it as a sea serpent but on second thought and if those appliques running along its spine are stylized feathers, it could be Quetzalcoatl as easily - is another treasure bearing the signature of Doris and her Corpus Artisans group of maestros. Appreciation for Doris jewelry has been growing steadily since I first started dealing in vintage Mexica...