Catalog (327)

Margot de Taxco loved combination pin / pendant necklaces and she designed them so that you could take the brooch away and still link the two lengths of chain and wear them alone as an elegant choker. I suspect that many pieces were comprised of inter-changeable elements so if you had this set and a different pin/pendant out of her “hand-hammered” line, for example, you could theoretically attach to this chain and enjoy that second brooch as a necklace too. Big, bold and beautiful, the bow i...

Elegant and romantic, this vintage Mexican silver and amethyst brooch bears the signature of Margot de Taxco, one of the few female designers of Mexico’s 20th c Silver Renaissance known to us today. Reflective of the 1940s trend towards jewelry inspired by nature, the brooch looks delicate and tender yet its silver-work is confident, substantial and perfectly finished. I love the soft curve of the floral stem and the way the amethyst bud rests serenely on the pierced leaf. Measuring 3” tall...

Bigger in size than the most frequently encountered version of the specific design and executing a different step, this vintage Margot de Taxco “ballerina” brooch is Mexico’s contribution to the ballet craze started by Van Cleef et Arpels in the 1940s, with the issuance of their gem-studded “ballerina” jewelry. And even though we don’t have sparkling diamonds and fine gold here, the sense of harmony and serenity our long-, slender-armed dancer seems to exude is equally precious and h...

When it comes to classy Mexican jewelry, nobody can beat Margot de Taxco. Margot had that rare, innate ability to instinctively create elegant designs which defied the whims of fashion and remain as relevant today as they did when they first became available. The set of repousse earrings presented here is, I believe, a very good illustration of what I am trying to say. I have had pieces of her des. 5337 parure many times over the years and yet whenever I discover another example, I find myself e...

The indisputable queen of Mexican enamelwork, Margot de Taxco created an amazing series of jewelry in that technique which she first started focusing on while still married to Antonio Castillo and designing for the family workshop. As with her other jewelry here too the sources of inspiration were varied covering distances not only in geographical space but also in time. From fiery Quetzalcoatls to Egypt's beguiling Cleopatra; from the world of flora and fauna surrounding her all the way bac...

Confident in his prowess as a warrior and comfortable in his ceremonial attire this Margot de Taxco silver and enamel Aztec figure can be enjoyed both as a brooch as well as a pendant. Though experimentation with the art of enameling started while Margot was still part of the Los Castillo workshop, it was after her divorce with Antonio that she focused on perfecting it in her own, independent taller. And perfect it she did. So much so that today, when one thinks of Mexican enamel jewelry, one un...

A twist to Margot de Taxco's classic all silver zodiac pendant / charms this sinewy Sagittarius rises above a background of multicolored confetti enamel. A true feast for the eyes, the archer faces the viewer but has his head turned to the right in the direction of his outstretched bow-holding arm. I love these enameled examples by Margot because the confetti, especially the primarily blue / green version like here, reminds me of clear nights when thousands of twinkling stars light up the skies....

Drawing inspiration from Mexico’s Spanish Colonial past, this sterling silver necklace and earrings set by Margot de Taxco combines dark oxidation with overlay and deep hand-chasing to achieve an elaborate and rich Old World visual effect. I find the central station to resemble a carnival mask - I know, too Venetian but then, carnivals were celebrated in Spain as well though not as elegantly or extravagantly. The earrings, extra wide, mirror the shape of the necklace’s focal point while refl...

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...

Who among lovers of vintage Mexican silver jewelry does not know Margot de Taxco's zodiac treasures? Charms, pendant, charm bracelets and brooches, they come in all those forms and they are avidly collected. Yet how many times have you come upon a mini, almost lingerie size, Margot astrological pin? Rare and sweet as can be, this 1 1/2" Aries beauty is irresistible. I can easily see it worn alongside one of its... "adult" versions, don't you think? Just just a tad over 1 1/2" tall by 13/16" wide...

One of my favorite William Spratling designs, the original (bearing his signature) "hummingbird" pendant necklace I have seen crafted in all-silver and silver combined with black onyx or obsidian. I am sure other configurations must be available which I have not encountered so it is understandable that I was elated to discover this version marrying sterling with copper. My first surprise was followed by a second when I saw that the piece at hand was signed by Mari. In the back of my head, Mari w...

A masterfully crafted, meticulously finished frame of sterling lily pads accented with tiny beading and elegant little wire swirls surrounds a flat-top amethyst gem in the vintage studio ring I am presenting here. This type of silver-work and the specific foliate motif is easily identified as created by Mary Gage, one of the most talented - and indeed most eccentric - silversmiths of the late American Arts and Crafts movement. I have had a few pieces by Gage over the years - she does not seem to...

I have written in the past that Elna jewelry is more often than not very generous in proportions but this stunner of a bracelet goes above and beyond that! It is not just its sheer monumentality that impresses. It is also the classically "archaeological" character of the design itself which is expressed by the carved stone "mask" of an ancient Aztec Eagle warrior. Awesome in its military magnificence, the portrait is flanked by highly stylized butterfly (?) links with big cabochons set in bezels...

Hinged bangle bracelets whether gem- or hard stone-studded, wrought in shadow-box or simply crafted in bold, massive silver are among my favorite designs by the Los Ballesteros workshop. The modernist, generously wide version at hand with its impressed “nested ellipses” and its bezel-set green jaspers is a first one for me. And I am duly excited about it - its sheer magnitufe, its warmly glowing patina, the earthy, rich hues in the stone all come together in the best possible way around a ha...

Calling the vintage Mexican silver and black stone "mask" ring I am presenting here massive is not an exaggeration. It is not just the actual ring size (9.5 US) that makes it so; it is also the textured, solid setting, quite masculine in design, and the beautifully carved, stupendous effigy it houses. I am not sure what the stone is - I think it might be onyx but it could also be black agate. I am fascinated by its opaque gravity and the way its satin finish invites the touch. And what about tho...

A whopper of a bracelet, this early Taxco Deco beauty was wrought in fine, 980 silver and has still evident the Spanish Colonial influence in its design. Bold yet simple in its constitutive motifs, the silver-work is made up of three massive curved links that are adorned with traditional wire appliques and a touch of deliberate oxidation. It is the stones that center each one of those links, however, that are the pieces-de-resistance here! Two huge amethyst cabochons, with saturated color and ri...

A veritable show-stopper, this fine, .950 silver Mexican pendant combines brutalist elements with a classic Aztec Revival, beautifully carved obsidian "mask". Signed by Fernando Alvarez Mendez Mateo of Taxco, it was crafted in the post-1980 period yet is exhibits such craftsmanship, I wouldn't have been surprised if I had found an Eagle mark on it. Serene and dignified, the "mask" looks as if just emerging from the moss-covered floor of an ancient forest with the silver "flourish" under its chin...