The combination of fine, high purity silver and moonstone is one of my favorite and was equally favored, it seems, by Antonio Pineda, Taxco's renowned modernist. Set in three-dimensional 970 silver settings the stones at hand have a luminous pearlescence that draws the eye into their magical depths, and perfectly reflect the warm glow of the precious metal surrounding them. Antonio's jewelry is characterized by an unfailing sense of easy luxury and that feeling is present here as well...

Circa mid-century, this bracelet was produced by Los Castillo. It's a hand-wrought piece with a large presence, composed of four curved sections. There are three pendant/dangles/pendulums attached to the center section, and each panel is separated by three spiral circles with oxidized recesses. Closure is a tight and secure tongue in box. Measures a closed, wearable length of about 6 1/4"...

Originally a painter who in the 1930s moved to Mexico to participate in the country’s cultural scene, Bernice Goodspeed quickly moved into designing and selling her own jewelry out of the store she and her fellow-artist husband Carl Pappe opened in Taxco. Bernice’s work does not come up often and I am very excited to have found this repousse necklace by her...

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...

An absolutely extraordinary pair of vintage sterling cuff bracelets by Frank Patania Sr. from his Thunderbird Shop in Santa Fe, NM. Impeccable, precise craftsmanship and design speak in these pieces. Measuring 5 3/4" around in the inside plus an additional 1 1/4" opening, they are 2 1/2" wide and weigh 284 grams total. Only one of the cuffs is signed so will only be sold as a pair. Fine original condition and signed as shown. These are truly magnificent.

An early design by the Los Castillo taller (could it have been created by their cousin, Salvador Teran, when he was still working for them?), the “fish skeleton” is considered a classic and has seen many emulations and reproductions over the years. The hinged bracelet at hand, wrought in thick silver sheet with copper bead accents, is a modernist treasure that was made for small wrists...

An elegant 970 silver and amethyst necklace by Taxco silversmith Antonio Pineda. The square bezel set cabochon amethyst links alternate with square silver links and terminate with a secure silver push in clasp. The necklace measures approximately 17 1/2" end to end ( it is curved so hard to measure exactly), is 3/4" wide and weighs a very sturdy 157 grams. The links are double strung on silver chain and the necklace is in fine condition with no chips or cracks to any of the stones...

Tone Vigland modernist sterling silver ring

Norway

Mid 20th century

Size - 6 1/2

Weight - 21 grams

Front - 1" x 1"

Hallmarks pictured

Excellent condition

Hallmarks date this Hector Aguilar Fertility necklace 1948-1962. Collector quality, this piece is superbly crafted and lays perfectly on the neck. Links are hand wrought, deeply carved, with oxidized recesses and a beautiful patina. Measures a closed, wearable length of 16 1/2". Signed and hallmarked ".940 HA Taxco Mexico", with the eagle assay 9. Weight is 70.8 grams. In excellent vintage condition.

This mid-century Salvador Teran bracelet features a silver man in the moon and star which appears to be floating against the darkened background, framed in a silver bezel of varying sides and angles. It's a seldom seen design and a standout piece. Has a large presence on the wrist. Measures a closed, wearable length of 6 1/2". Width in front is 1 5/8". Weight is 64.7 grams. Signed and hallmarked "Salvador Sterling Mexico", with the eagle assay 36 and design # 125.

Fabulous vintage chain necklace in heavy goldtone brass with brilliant colorless prong set strasse stones. With a spring ring clasp, and long enough to wear doubled as shown. This piece is French, circa 1960 or 1970. Great to wear alone or with other chain necklaces. Perfectly of the moment: layered chains are a top trend this season.

39 1/2 inches long by 3/8 inch wide. Excellent condition. Photos enlarged to show detail.

Stunning statement vintage late 1960s necklace by Mimi di Niscemi for Brania, with many strands of translucent and opaque resin beads, and a huge decorative box slide clasp with very unusual glass rhinestones, prong set in goldtone metal. Marked BRANIA...

This mid-century necklace from Antonio Pineda is an absolutely spectacular showpiece. It's composed of obsidian and silver, both in 5 point diamond shapes, which form a "V" in the front center. There is a pearl offset on the left front. This is a very rare piece, and it looks amazing on the wearer. The obsidian centerpiece is slightly curved so that it contours perfectly on the neck...

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...

Potent design and perfect execution combine in this set of Antonio Pineda cufflinks shaped like bull skulls...

Heavy brilliant green glass beaded necklace with silvertone hook and matching extender chain. The hook is marked MADE IN FRANCE. The beads are strung on fine metal wire. The beads are lead crystal and possibly Swarovski. Circa 1960. 17 1/2 inches wearable length. The center drops about 3 inches. Excellent condition. Photos enlarged to show detail.

A delightful vintage 18K yellow gold brooch in the form of a leopard by Fred of Paris. The leopard's spots a created of black enamel and his eyes are set with round emeralds flanked by round single-cut diamonds. The gemstones are of superb quality, as expected from one of the world's great jewelry houses. The brooch has a two-prong clip on the back. It bears French 18K gold hallmarks and is signed "Fred-Paris."

Origin: France, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Size: 2-3/8" x 1-9/16"...

Perfect for those breezy nights by the beach, this vintage Mexican silver Carmen Beckmann brooch is shaped like a starfish (some see it as a sea anemone too) and centered by a turquoise of the softest sea foam color. I love Beckmann jewelry - when she was inspired, she created some amazing pieces...

Stunning Los Castillo "doorknocker" dangle earrings, these beauties are breath-taking and beguilingly curvaceous. I love this design and it has been a long time since I had a similar set. Sensual curves, sculptural teardrops, discrete little scrolls and confident, masterful repoussage - there is nothing about the pair that was not paid attention to. Even the concave round elements that hide the screw-back at the earrings' top have been enhanced with oxidation. Measuring 2 1/4" long by 1 1/8" wid...

Hand-hammered silver reminiscent of the Arts and Crafts movement and a jade bead that brings to mind ancient Aztec and Maya jewelry combine in this sterling silver ring by the Los Castillo. The specific design does not come up very often. In all my years of buying and selling vintage Mexican jewelry I have only had two examples - the second one being the one offered here. Simple yet not simplistic, easy to wear, a pleasure to behold the ring is currently a sz 8 US (resizable by your jeweler) an...

Today we have a vintage Mexican silver parure made by Maestro Sigi Pineda. Sigi has had a long career in handmade jewelry within the Spratling era. His work is heavy, made with excellent stones as this parure also has. The obsidian is extreme sheen on the necklace and you may see silver dots that sparkle on the other pictures which is the camera reacting to the sheen in less light. There is no damage of any kind and this modernist design is a basic to wear with anything. When we see a band aroun...

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...

Beautiful vintage French wired necklace in silvertone metal with rhinestone balls with prong set stones, clear faceted glass beads, and glass based faux pearls in champagne and very pale gray. With early spring ring clasp with a collar instead of the thumb tab. Probably 1950s or earlier. 52 inches wearable length. The glass beads are 11mm or just over 3/8 inch. Overall excellent condition with some verdigris on some of the wires, and some losses on two or three of the faux pearls. Not noticeable...

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...

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 ...

1960s French necklace of black glass beads, and black and clear Lucite oblong drops, with goldtone metal findings. From the atelier runway collection of Madame Gres. Not marked but well documented. Germaine Emilie Krebs (1903-1993), known as Alix Barton and later as Madame Gres, launched her design house in Paris in 1942. She produced haute couture designs for many fashionable women, including Greta Garbo and Jacqueline Kennedy. She was the subject of a recent exhibition (and compan...

An important, rare modernist bracelet by the renowned African American jeweler, Art Smith. Made of woven, riveted and patinated copper.

Measures 5 3/4" around with an opening of 1 1/4" and 1 3/4" wide. Marked with the 'Art Smith' script signature in at least two places. Looks like there is also a third partial strike. Very good condition with some minor surface scratches and areas of tarnish.

A wonderful example of Mid Century Modernist design.

The art of "metales casados" (mixed or married metals) was practiced by several Taxco workshops yet I think Victoria was its queen. Ana Maria Nunez de Brilanti combined copper, silver and brass not only to design exquisite jewelry but also hollowware of various kinds and decorative objects. In the necklace presented here she seems to be inspired by Egyptian Revival motifs which is not unusual for her - there are at least a couple of other parures she created that tread that same path. Distinctly...

Circa mid-century, this bracelet is the work of Felipe Martinez / Piedra Y Plata. Martinez, who had worked with Hubert Harmon in the 1940's, opened his shop "Piedra Y Plata" in 1950. Before opening his shop Martinez had been an expert sculptor. Features six dense green stones and a superb modernist design, Martinez was known for selecting spectacular stones, and this bracelet does not disappoint. Measures a closed, wearable length of 6 3/8", with a width of 11/16". Closure is a tight and s...

Fleshy, slick and so mod this set of vintage Mexican Antonio Pineda earrings is wrought in his favorite fine (.970) silver alloy in the form of heart-shaped leaves. Antonio's jewelry, no matter how many elements combined in a design, if unfailingly sculptural and shamelessly tactile. It is very difficult to restrain oneself and not keep passing one's fingers over the masterfully worked, perfectly finished silver. Measuring 1 5/16" long by 5/8" wide the earrings weigh 14.4 grams (for the set) an...

A retail shop in Taxco, according to Bille Hougart, Plateria Cortes is a name also found on some of Enrique Ledesma pieces, most probably because they were sold there. So my first thought when I saw this set of vintage Mexican silver surrealist earrings was that they might have been made by Ledesma. And then it all came back to me - a couple of years ago, I sold three sets of earrings in the same exact style (and actually even a pair like the one at hand) clearly signed for Sigi Pineda. Interest...

Stern and solemn, a gorgeous example of classic Mexican Deco lapidary work, the chrysoprase “mask” centering the silver pendant at hand looks dignified and at ease, completely unaffected by the weight of its ornate headdress. The hefty, entirely hand-wrought chain that accompanies it is, I believe, original to the necklace and perfectly reflects the pendant’s heaviness. Signed by one of Taxco’s “less celebrated” maestros, those listed in the relevant literature yet still unidentified...

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 ...

A 10k vintage yellow gold ring c1950s-60, set with a natural rock crystal. This size 6 ring measures 5/16" across the stone and it weighs 2.1 grams. This ring is stamped TJF and 10K and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, dents, bends, corrosion, losses, damage or repairs. All items are thoroughly and conservatively graded and all condition issues are noted; all items are vintage or antique and may have slight signs of gentle use. Expedited tracked and insured parcel shippin...

French long rope necklace with goldtone chain and glass beads in fabulous modern shapes. 1960s. The beads include a large saucer shaped vermilion bead, and oblong and round beads in pink, pale green, pale blue, opaque cream, and white, as well as faux baroque pearls. Colors are brighter than photos depict. Spring ring clasp. Long enough to wrap three tiers. Wearable length is 52 inches. The largest bead (vermilion) is 3/4 inch wide. Excellent condition. Display form is lifesize. Photos ...

A fine 18K yellow gold and multi-stone Sputnik ring. This classic modernist design, originally created by H Stern, features a golden dome studded with 19 variously colored gemstones including green tourmaline, citrine, amethyst, aquamarine and spessartite garnet. Each piece of Sputnik jewelry has a unique appearance depending on the color combinations and arrangement of the gemstones. This particular example is more pastel than most, with a preponderance of pale pink, green, blue and purple. ...