Catalog (325)

The epitome of minimalism and the best proof that when it's done correctly, it is the most elegant style, this vintage Danish sterling silver and banded agate ring is signed by Bruno Jorgensen who was active in Virum until his death in 1973. There is nothing about this piece I would change - I love the way the flat cut of the stone reveals its two colors; I love the laconic design of the silver setting; and that touch of black enamel which accentuates the stepped construction of its bezel. Curre...

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...

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 ...

Based on one of William Spratling's most classic, early designs this Mexican Deco silver and amethyst ring is an anonymous beauty from the same period the renowned designer was active. Lean and mean in its constitutive motifs, it nevertheless packs a powerful visual punch what with the mysterious depths of its cloudy cabochon and the curves of the beading on either side of the stone. Classic and classy indeed the ring is currently a sz 6 US (yet easily re-sized by your jeweler) with its face mea...

Distinctly Egyptian Revival in its inspiration, the set of Mexican Deco dangle earrings at hand reminds me very much of elements in Margot de Taxco's "Cleopatra" parure; more specifically, the feathers of the "vulture crown" the pharaoh is wearing. More stylized in our case they are here involved in an elaborate knot forming sculptural dangles that hang off the sweetest repousse rosettes. I admit that I have never encountered this specific design before and would also like to draw your attention...

Matching the "festoon with teardrops" necklace I recently sold, this set of earrings by the Los Castillo workshop is truly glamorous! I love the flair of the bifurcated element at the top with its curvaceous central semi-sphere which mirrors the sculptural elegance of the teardrop. And, please, note the playful articulation of the semi-circular links forming the main dangle. Aren't they just a pleasure? The earrings measure 1 3/4" long by 1 1/4" wide and weigh 17.5 grams (for the set). They are ...

Timelessly elegant this vintage Mexican silver Carmen Beckmann ring features a “toi et moi” design with two sparkling color-change sapphires in substantial crown settings. This is a more “demure” Beckmann, if I am allowed the use of the word in this context, reaching for a classic look with clean, lean lines and minimal adornment. It is the two gemstones that take center stage here with their deep burgundy-turn-to-steely-purple color as the light changes while the discreet silver work su...

Delicate and quite romantic with their Spanish Colonial bows and a half-hidden heart motif this set of Los Castillo earrings is elegant and nostalgic at the same time. Crisp finishing and a beautifully glowing patina complete the "package" - I will let the photos say the rest while I provide the specifics: 1 3/8" long by 1 1/8" wide, weighing 11.2 grams (for the set). Fully signed with maker's name as well as "TAXCO" and Eagle 15 assay mark. The set dates in the 1950s-60s and is in excellent vin...

One of Taxco's most famous modernists Sigi Pineda was also a very prolific designer and at his best moments, truly inspired. I am used to seeing minimalist, fluid pieces by him and the brooch at hand, wrought in sterling silver and adorned with a teardrop-shaped obsidian, is the result of a good moment indeed. This is a pin that invites the touch unabashedly - it might be the glowing silver body; it might be that magical piece of obsidian with its silvery depths but it simply invites the fingers...

A book piece for Sigi Pineda, the “boomerang” brooch belongs in a line of jewelry in which the Taxco modernist combined layering, purposefully applied oxidation and vividly colored semi-precious and hard- stones to create slick, modernist, I would even say space-age, designs that seems as relevant today as they did when they were first introduced to the world. What I always found amazing about this brooch is the ingenious - and quite minimal - way the stone (chrysoprase in our case) is incor...

The "less-is-more" philosophy of modernism and the classic, for Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance, marriage of silver and amethyst come together in this minimalist by-pass ring signed by Doris Corpus Artisans. A daring, Texas-born American who decided to move to Mexico in the 1940s, Doris Smith Chamberlin had her own workshop by 1945 and her commitment to perfection and inspired design resulted in the creation of some truly exceptional jewelry. I have in the past offered examples of the work c...

Jewelry hosting carved stone hearts in silver settings was very popular in the Mexican Deco period. Teased out of jasper and agate and oftentimes even dyed calcite, the hearts are unfailingly curvaceous as if pulsing with life, their sculpturality shamelessly inviting the touch. The carvings usually dominate the piece with the silver-work providing discreet framing and even though the motif was taken up again in the post-1980 period, the later examples lack the vivacity of the old pieces. Here i...

Playing the violin with abandon as is evident by their determined expression, Margot de Taxco’s “musician putti” come here in earring form which is a rather rare occurrence. The specific angelic musician is usually found hanging off Margot’s charm bracelet of the same design, one out of a band of nine, and even though I have had the bracelet a few times in the past, this is the first pair of earrings I have found. Big, beautifully aged over the years of their long life, sitting on a rose...

An antique silver - most probably sterling - watch fob with original chain and dog clip, this sweet little find is, I believe, from the late Victorian / Edwardian period. There is nothing mundane about it either - I find the basketweave ribbon that runs the fob's perimeter at the waist eye-catching as well as the wire-work above it. Both elements enhance the orb's sculpturality which is, of course, underscored by oxidation and patina. The chain is comprised by "infinity" links and the dog clip a...

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 ...

Based on Hector Aguilar's often referred to as the "fertility" parure, this anonymous Mexican Deco sterling silver band ring is a rare find. I love the combination of the two cross motif variations, the deep hand-chased details and the sense of depth enhanced with oxidation. Interestingly enough, though, and if I remember correctly, when asked about the specific design's meaning in an interview many years ago, Aguilar said that this was the sign the Aztec used to mark locations with gold deposit...

The Arts and Crafts is one of my favorite periods in jewelry design - emphasis on motifs from nature, design that focuses on craftsmanship while allowing the viewer to follow the artisan's hand, "honest" materials without necessarily seeking out the most expensive metals and gemstones, it was a real break with the fussy excesses of Victorian aesthetics. The silver and banded agate intaglio ring presented here is an example that brings together all the above. Impeccably carved into the stone taki...

An elaborate sterling silver knot hanging off a classic repousse semi-sphere takes center-stage in this set of vintage Mexican dangle earrings by renowned Taxco maestro Pedro Castillo. I love Pedro Castillo's work for its complexity and layering and the modernist twist it adds to motifs derived from Mexico's rich cultural past. And even though these beauties are of medium length, they do pack a strong visual punch with their strategically applied oxidation and the warm patina they have developed...