Catalog (326)

Made in the 1960s, this vintage Mexican sterling silver bracelet consists of figural disks developing in a row defined by lengths of double-woven, thick chain. I have seen this combination featuring three different kinds of disk designs. While here we have depictions of the country's history as well as symbols of its old religion (a jaguar warrior portrait, Quetzalcoatl, Mexico's state Eagle) the specific bracelet design can be found with Mexican coins or representations of the zodiac cycle. I l...

I am partial to long chain necklaces - irrespective of origin and style I am attracted to them and love to wear them. Provided, of course, they are older… The thick twist-rope example offered here is, I believe, a US-made piece; the hallmark looks familiar, I know I have encountered it before but right now I just can’t identify the maker. My failure notwithstanding, this is a luxurious, beautiful chain with a warm patina that accentuates each strand of silver wire as it embraces and twists a...

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 ...

Beautifully aged sterling silver and warmly glowing copper combine effortlessly in this Los Castillo chevron brooch. I am very partial to the mixed metals jewelry that came out of Taxco and the renowned workshop excelled in their production. This specific piece with its arrow shape I find very interesting visually - just note the way the curves of the silver beads are juxtaposed to the intense forcefulness of the angular motifs. The brooch is 2 1/4" long by 3/4" wide and weighs 19.7 grams. It is...

Matching the brooch of the same design that it also available here (you can see the two pieces together in one of the photos here) this Los Castillo Mexican silver and copper ring is a rather rare find and I am happy to have come upon it. Weaving together the two metals in a chevron / arrow pattern, it is additionally embellished with tiny little sterling beads and has a visually interesting shank as well. And even though it seems to have left the workshop without having been stamped with the pr...

A maestro from the middle period of Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance, Carsi is among those Taxco silversmiths about whom we don't really know much. I have had pieces by him a few times over the years and I was pleasantly surprised to have found his signature on the ornate bangle bracelet presented here. This wire-work scrolled heart motif I am used to associating with Arte en Plata, even though I have seen it by other makers or even anonymous in the past. Yet Carsi's version is bolder in prop...

Signed by a listed yet still unidentified workshop, this set of vintage silver and gold cufflinks is a classic Mexican Deco design. Inspired by the massive Aztec carved stone "Sun Disk" discovered in 1790 during excavations in Mexico City's zocalo, the pair is generous in size and quite nicely made. When I first acquired it, I thought it had a simple vermeil finish but as I was preparing it to list, I realized that it is hallmarked for both sterling and 14k so I am assuming that the cufflinks' f...

One of the most energetic Taxco modernists, Sigi Pineda enjoyed a long, creative career. Prolific and ever “on the move”, he was at his best working within the confines of minimalist design. Sigi rarely used “unnecessary” ornamentation, depending more on fluidity of lines to imply motion, colored stones to impart texture, oxidation to add dimension to what are mostly flat surfaces in his jewelry. The floral brooch at hand provides a good illustration of the above. There is nothing excess...

Offered here as a pair, these beautiful vintage heishi necklaces are made up of slender shell disks, turquoise, silver and glass beads and what I think are most probably shark teeth. They have been with me for a long, long time and I always thought I would combine them into one longer piece yet never gotten around to it. So it's time for them to go to a new, loving home where they will be worn and enjoyed once again. Please note the rich colors of the turquoise chunks and the wonderful patina th...

My second belt buckle for the day, this is a completely different piece from the Los Castillo example I already presented. Hand-wrought in sterling silver it is big, bold and absolutely beautiful. Inspired by the world that surrounds us, it is just one of those treasures that defy my photographic skills and I am afraid I failed to impart the silky sculpturality of its heart-shaped floral motifs. Not signed for maker yet obviously studio-made and reflecting the 1940s naturalist turn in jewelry de...

The Deco year saw an influx of gorgeous jewelry out of China in which, more often than not, contemporary silver work was combined with antique elements like carved semi-precious stone buttons, medallions and even mah-jhong and other game pieces. The ring I am presenting here is an immigrant of that era. Delicate silver vermeil adjustable shank and an old amethyst "button" with a lotus flower carving come together in an understated, classically elegant combination. And did you note the little det...

Three old jade medallions carved in the shape of a butterfly and lotus flowers and set in silver adorn this beautiful Chinese brooch. Definitely an early 20th c. piece as attested to by the clasp's pin that protrudes beyond the sterling frame, this is a delightfully airy pin, its delicate lightness enhanced by the subtle colors in the stones and the winged creature it represents. If you love classy, elegant jewelry, this brooch is for you. It measures 2 5/8" long by 1" wide and weighs 15.2 grams...

Made in 1978, this vintage English sterling silver ring epitomizes the timeless appeal of Wedgwood jasper "cameo" rings. Wedgwood jasperware cut across genre divides and come in several colors but this darker blue (along with black) is my favorite of all. Hailing from Greece, I appreciate the Greek Revival figural applique as well as the sweet serenity the image of mother-and-child imparts. Currently a sz 6.75 US (resizable by your jeweler but you might lose part of the hallmarks)the ring has a ...

Signed by Graziella Laffi, the often referred-to as "Spratling of Peru" this bird brooch can also be found with blue enamel adorning its eye. Executed in all-silver in our case, with hand-etched and stippled details, I like to think of it as a pelican or even a seagull, maybe because she has used the same motif in necklace and bracelet form as well but combined with fish-shaped stations. Measuring 1 5/8" long by 1 1/4" tall the brooch weighs 8.7 grams and is signed with maker's name as shown a...

Caricaturesque in the most endearing, spirit-lifting way this vintage Mexican silver fish brooch will put a smile on your face no matter rain or shine! Executed in confident repoussage which adds sculpturality and drama to a highly detailed body, it has a cheerful amethyst eye and thick, exaggerated lips. It looks to me as if it's singing down there in the deep - I can almost see tiny air bubbles coming out of its mouth. Measuring 2 3/4" long by 7/8" wide the brooch weighs 12.6 grams. It is sig...

A puzzling piece - though it is signed “Birks”, the hallmark does not look like the Canadian company’s commonly encountered marks - this vintage sterling vermeil pin is a small work of art. Slender and elegant, the flower it represents consists of a textured silver stem while its leaves and bloom are made of molded jadeite glass. The glass is supple and glistens thanks to the glaze that was applied over it and the brooch has that romantic, nature-loving air of 1940s jewelry. Its findings a...

Created using the shadowbox technique a row of silver flowers and leaves elegantly circles the wrist in this early 20th c. Chinese bangle bracelet. The floral and foliate motifs are set against a dramatically oxidized background visible through the openings in the cut-work and they are enhanced with hand-etched details. Quite often antique hollow bangles make it to us scarred with the experiences of a long life but the example at hand is unscathed, its beauty glowing with the patina of time and ...

Quite impressive in size and richly decorated with stampwork this vintage sterling silver and turquoise brooch is signed by Navajo silversmith Willie Shaw. I was always attracted to the magical blues and greens of turquoise and I find the so-called "spiderweb" stones irresistible. This particular one, with its big area of all-black, makes the juxtaposition of the two colors even more dramatic. The brooch measures 3 1/2" long and its width varies between 1 1/4" and 5/8". It weighs 23.7 grams an...