Offered on consignment....

Dating 1930's - early 40's, this Fred Davis bracelet feels silky and luxurious on the wrist and is a superb example of his work.

Panels of four amethyst cabs and tiny beading alternate with angled silver cylinders, joined top and bottom by double ribbed connectors. Forty eight amethyst gemstones in total, it's an intricate piece, exquisitely executed, and it is collector quality. There is a beautiful patina throughout...

One of the most talented Taxco maestros, Gerardo Lopez was exceptional in the art of repoussage and his jewelry is sought after and avidly collected for its quality and inventive motif combinations. I have suggested in the past that he must have worked for the Los Castillo and / or Margot de Taxco because many of the motifs he uses are also found in the famous workshops' creations...

An ode to overlay, beading and masterfully applied oxidation, this figural little Mexican Deco brooch is a depiction of Ozomahtli, the monkey companion of god Xochipili, associated with play and merry-making. I could have easily sworn that this is an example of Francisco Rivera’s work yet since it is not signed for maker, I can only suggest this might be the case...

Without a doubt, the Double Chinese Dragon necklace is one of Margot's most sought after and seldom seen pieces. The repoussé silver work is superbly executed. Constructed so that it lays perfectly on the neck. Opposing Chinese dragons are at the center of this piece, which measures a closed, wearable length of 16". A variation of this necklace is shown in Penny C...

Circa 1960's - 70's, this Carmen Beckmann cuff pulls out all the stops. It's an exceptional bracelet which I have not seen before, and believe to be very rare. Seven Mexican fire opals of varying sizes are at front and center. The stones are magnificent, and have flashes of green, orange, blue, and purple. Framed on each side with a raised abstract silver shapes with oxidized recesses. Measures 6" inside edge to edge, with an additional gap/opening of 1 3/16"...

A particularly attractive Georgian example of a Halley’s Comet pin worked in 18K yellow gold, accented with black enamel, and featuring a comet head set with a bright green paste stone to represent the comet’s nucleus surrounded by old cut clear paste stones representing the bright coma. The pastes are set in an elegant buttercup setting with a fluted back...

This spectacular ring produced by Fred Davis is a very rare piece. Hand-wrought with superb repoussé silverwork and a huge oval amethyst gemstone, it's a ring which will not fail to be noticed. Measures about 6.375 on a ring sizer. The face measures 1 3/16" north to south. The stone is gorgeous, with quartz marbling and natural inclusions. Setting has four forked prongs. Signed and hallmarked with a conjoined FD and Mexico Silver...

This heavy chain link bracelet with a turquoise tipped toggle is the work of Antonio Pineda. It's a stunning piece, composed of fifteen thick wide links of almost pure 97% silver. A very substantial bracelet which drapes over the wrist and look amazing...

One of Taxco’s two “Miguels”, Miguel Melendez started his career with William Spratling at Las Delicias, moved on to work with the Los Castillo and later Margot de Taxco and in the early 1950s opened his own workshop. A talented modernist with deep roots in Mexico’s rich archaeological history, he loved combining silver with hard- and semi-precious stones and excelled in two-sided pendants that married stone or shell inlay with abstract overlay on highly oxidized surfaces...

The wonderful gold medal won by James Ephraim Narraway at the 1929 tournament of the Correspondence Chess League of America (CCLA). The medal features a black and white enameled chessboard surrounded by a laurel wreath and surmounted by a crown. The back is engraved “C.C.L.A. 1929 Leaderhip ‘A’ 1st Prize Won By J. E Narraway.” The medal was likely originally attached to a neck ribbon, but would be really nice worn today as a pendant or on a chunky charm bracelet...

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...

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...

Profusely studded with the Etruscan style’s tell-tale florets this long Mexican lariat necklace was made in Cuernavaca, one of the country’s main silver-smithing centers. A rather rare jewel of the Deco period, it consists of a long strand of short barrel beads strung on flexible silver wire. Classically elegant yet with body and strong presence, the necklace has developed a deep patina over the years. I particularly love the over-sized beads it ends in that are also reflected in the clasp c...

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...

Saturated blues and greens juxtaposed to the warm glow of well-aged silver soften the austere geometry of this Los Castillo modernist cuff bracelet. Out of the workshop’s “mozaico Azteca” line which celebrates the art of seamless inlay, the cuff is also showcasing the beauty of azur-malachite. There is nothing superfluous here - economy of design, honesty of materials and craftsmanship of the highest level combine in a visual power-house, a piece of mid-century wearable art. The cuff has a...

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. Simple yet not simplistic, the almost abstract a-symmetry of the silver work is reflected in the shape of the stone. Measuring 2 1/2” wide by 1 3/4” tall the brooch weighs 20.2 grams and is fully...

From his third design period, hallmarks date this Spratling cuff 1964-1967. It's a book-piece design, shown on p.109 of Spratling Silver: A Field Guide. There are ten silver rivets. Should fit up to a 6 1/2" wrist. Width is 1 5/8" in the center front. Opening/gap is 1 1/16". Weight is 53.4 grams. Signed and hallmarked with the WS Print Square "WS William Spratling .925 Taxco Mexico" and the eagle assay 63. In fine vintage condition.

Over the top gorgeous vintage sterling and turquoise cuff bracelet by Frank Patania Sr. The stones are most likely bisbee and the color is spectacular, deep and vivid. Measuring 6" around in the inside with an additional 1 1/4" opening, it is 2" wide and weighs a hefty 129 grams. It is in fine original condition with no chips or cracks to the stones. Signed as shown, this is an incredible and rare Patania design from the mid-century. Please see the matching pin to this bracelet listed separately...

Magnificent, rare vintage Georg Jensen sterling half disc link bracelet no. 169 designed by Astrid Fog c. 1969. Astrid Fog was known for her bold, simple designs often featuring geometric shapes as this piece. This bracelet measures 7 3/4" end to end, is 1 1/8" wide and weighs an impressive 128 grams. It curves and flows seamlessly on the wrist with a hidden clasp. Signed and numbered as shown, it is in beautiful original condition. This is mid- century modern Georg Jensen jewelry at its very fi...

Circa 1930's-40's, this hand-wrought necklace is hallmarked with a simple early mark "Silver Mexico". I have previously had the identical design which was produced by Rafael Dominguez, as well I've seen it with the Antonio Pineda early mark. Twenty-seven lyre shaped panels are linked together with rectangular connectors topped with a copper bead set in the center of two silver beads. The looped hook closure is topped with four beads, copper alternating with silver. The lyre panels are deep...

The "queen" of shadowbox designs, Victoria - otherwise Ana Maria Nunez de Brilanti - also excelled in the "married metals" technique. Her work is inspired, of the highest quality and today it is considered part of Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance design index. The adjustable sterling silver ring I am presenting here is out of her coveted "angel" parure. The form does not come up very often and I am happy to have come upon a beautifully aged example. Beading and black-as-pitch oxidation in the...

Striding the divide between classic Mexican and Native American / Southwestern design this sterling silver bracelet is one of the most beautiful examples of the “marriage” I have seen. This hybridization is not, in fact, accidental as it is known from the relevant literature that Mexican maestros were a significant factor in the development of Native American silversmithing. The hinged bangle at hand has its front “wing” stippled and chased with a ribbon design and upon it the anonymous ...

The "Silver by Tono" hallmark dates this supremely rare piece 1948-1953. This is a book-piece design, shown on p. 89 of Silver Seduction. Composed of two fuchsia flowers with hand-carved jade along with leaves, the larger flower dangles to allow this pin different looks depending on how the pin is hung. Measures 3 3/8" tall, 2 3/4" wide. Weight is 36.7 grams. Signed and hallmarked "Silver by Tono Mexico", along with the eagle assay 17. Collector quality, in excellent vintage ...

Spanish Colonial in inspiration with their heart-shaped wire-work and tiny little beading this set of sterling silver and amethyst dangle earrings is a Mexican Deco treasure. Securely set in their bezels, full of inclusions that shroud their depths in mystery, the stones are carved in the shape of leaves which hang off richly colored amethyst cabs. Big, bold, beautiful yet also so romantic and full of nostalgia. Measuring an impressive 2” long by 1” wide the earrings weigh 20.6 grams (for th...

Made in Mexico City and following the “Matl school of repoussage” this early Deco silver and turquoise bracelet is anonymous and … gorgeous. Textured repousse feather motifs are predominant here, an allusion to the divine Feathered Serpent of ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. I have always thought that this specific type of work that allows you to follow the maestro’s hand as it works the silver could easily be considered Mexico’s Arts and Crafts expression. Here the articulation of ...

A retail shop in Taxco, Margarita was a place were one could buy jewelry by many local maestros, according to Bille Hougart. The long, beautifully made dangle earrings presented here bear only the shop’s name without a specific maker’s signature yet this does not affect their quality at all. Obviously hand-wrought with deeply chased details that have been oxidized to add depth to the design, the set combines scroll and feather motifs with beading and glows with the silky patina of a life wel...

One of my favorite “less celebrated” early Mexican maestros, AEM (or AE Heart as he is also referred to because of the way he signs his work) had his workshop in Mexico City and he created some really nice pieces. It has been a long time since I presented something by him but this set of “mesh and bead” dangle earrings more than compensates for the gap. This type of “mesh” or “chainmail” designs is an area where AEM excelled and I am very happy for having come upon these earrings...

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...

A magnificent and rare sterling and striped agate bracelet by Bent Knudsen, Denmark, circa 1950. The highly polished striped agate stones absolutely pop and the oval shape is a great contrast in design to the alternating square links with cut out circles. The bracelet measures 7 1/4"-7 1/2" around in the inside when closed and is 1 3/4" wide. It weighs a very hefty 137 grams. The original safety chain is intact. Fine original condition, no chips or cracks to the stones. This bracelet may have ne...

Bearing the signature of Sanborn’s, the legendary Mexico City department store’s over whose antiquities and fine arts division Fred Davis was a supervisor in the mid-1930s, this wide, exuberant cuff bracelet is a classic for the genre. Repousse cuffs of this style came to be closely associated with Sanborn’s and Maciel though they were made by other, anonymous and “less celebrated” makers as well. The “Aztec Rose” design that covers the entirety of the bracelet’s surface here mus...

Lovely vintage sterling and moonstone ring by Georg Jensen Denmark. This has an early Jensen hallmark, dating it 1915-30. The ring is a size 8 3/4 but can be sized. Weighing 5 grams, it is in fine original condition with hallmarks as shown. Charming.

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...

Bearing the signature of Pedro Castillo who opened his own workshop in 1940, after having worked for both William Spratling and Hector Aguilar this early Taxco modernist necklace is made using the overlay technique which has also been enhanced by purposeful oxidation. Perfectly finished, it has generous weight and at just a hair less than 16", it is not only a gorgeous piece to wear but it is quite comfortable. Let me end by saying that its abstract design, so representative of Taxco's early mod...

I am very partial to hinged bangle bracelets - you get the best of both worlds with them! - and I am very attracted to the Portuguese repousse examples. Signed by Topazio, the country’s foremost manufacturer of silver holloware and decorative items, there is something quite “regal” about this piece. Surrounded by scrolls and foliate motifs the dominant design here is a royal crown. It is repeated in all eight facets in high relief and looks even more sculptural thanks to the patina that ha...

Attributions are a difficult issue in the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry - they are almost never accepted. If a piece is not signed, it’s just not signed! In this case, however, I will put my years of experience behind my suggestion that the necklace I am presenting here is the work of Reveriano Castillo. When I acquired it, it had no clasp and since the specific Reveri design is usually marked exactly there, the connection to its maker was lost. I had my jeweler craft a fold-over cla...

Breath-taking both in proportions and its masterfully executed repoussage this sterling silver Mexican Deco belt buckle is simply unbelievable. Its two mirrored parts represent Quetzalcoatl, the divine Moesoamerican Feathered Serpent, a motif which appears quite often in vintage Mexican silver jewelry. I have seen this specific design in buckle form signed by Doris in the past - my example is hallmarked yet not for maker and though the lack of signature is always vexing, it does not at all affec...