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...

Vintage long necklace of graduated Gripoix poured glass beads in green and purple, wired with dark goldtone metal, with ornate filigree caps, and cylindrical stamped dark goldtone metal beads, with a screw barrel clasp, circa 1940. Marked MADE IN FRANCE. 37 1/4 inches wearable length. The largest center bead is just under 3/4 inch wide or 17mm. Excellent condition. Display form is life size. Photos enlarged to show detail.

Circa 1940-1945, this pin was produced by Los Castillo. It's an early piece which was designed by Margot van Voorhies Carr / Margot de Taxco. This is a superbly crafted piece, showing a koi fish swimming atop a blue glass stone which is filled with bubbles...

Beautiful baroque style sterling necklace with a very large brilliant synthetic color changing alexandrite stone as a centerpiece. Marked NESTOR 925 and STERLING MEXICO. 1940s, without an eagle mark. The stone changes color from intense warm purple under daylight and yellow light, to violet blue under white light.

15 inches wearable length by 1/2 inch wide along the sides. The centerpiece is 3 1/2 inches wide by 2 inches long. Excellent condition...

1930's - early 1940's, this Fred Davis bracelet is a book-piece design shown in "Mexican Silver". A huge rectangular bezel-set amethyst cabochon is front and center, with six opposing angled silver panels on each side. Closes with a tight and secure tongue in box clasp. Signed and hallmarked with a conjoined FD and Silver Mexico. Weight is 60.2 grams. Amethyst measures 1 1/16" x 13/16", and a depth of 7/16". Closed, wearable length is about 6 1/4", so suitable for a smaller wrist...

Dating in the first period of the Los Ballesteros workshop but after their 1941 move from Iguala to Taxco, this combination pin / pendant is an "archaeologically inspired" piece. A multitude of techniques come together in the creation of the figural scene that dominates here. Azur malachite inlay provides the canvas within which the combined copper and silver praying (?) figure is laid in...

A rare World War II era 14K yellow gold tie bar in the form of an airplane propeller. This motif would have been considered a patriotic statement in gentleman’s jewelry at the time. The back is marked “14K” and has the hallmark for Richardson Manufacturing Company, a Newark jeweler.

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent. Size: 2-9/16” x 7/16”. Weight: 6.4 grams.

NOTE: We are also offering a matching pair of cufflinks.

This classic A. Michelsen daisy pin has a diameter of 1 3/4”. The white enamel petals, like layered rays, are shiny and beautiful surrounding the detailed, sterling vermeil, textured disk. The back is marked with the “AM” beneath a crown (the Anton Michelsen maker’s mark) hallmark and “STERLING DENMARK 925 S” below that. This brooch is in excellent condition!

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...

This mid-century Margot de Taxco brooch is likely one of a kind. The Victorian era high relief Greek goddess is hand-carved and exquisitely detailed. It's either hardstone or black lava, and Margot designed the silver setting expressly to fit the cameo, using a Greek motif with black enamel. Measures 2 3/8" x 2 3/16", with a weight of 35.8 grams. The Greek goddess is Eirene, and she is known as the goddess of peace and the season of spring...

A lovely 18K yellow gold, diamond and ruby love pendant (“medaille d’amour”) with a rebus spelling out Plus qu’hier, moins que demain,” (“More than yesterday, less than tomorrow.”) a line from the love poem written by Rosemonde Gérard to her husband Edmond Rostand (author of “Cyrano”) in 1889...

This hand-wrought Mexican necklace dates to pre-1948,

It's an exquisite piece with highly detailed silver work, and it looks beautiful on. Measuring 36" in length, the two sides can clip together about 4" from each end.

Signed and hallmarked on the bottom of each ball "S.D. Hecho en Mexico 0.925".

Weight is 80.5 grams.

In excellent vintage condition.

This pre-1948 bracelet is a Fred Davis design, here hallmarked simply "Mexico Silver". Composed of six large silver panels, each set with a large amethyst cabochon, this bracelet measures a closed, wearable length of 7 1/2" with a width of 1 3/8". Weight is 67.7 grams. Fold over clasp gives this piece a seamless appearance. In excellent vintage condition. Stones are gorgeous, perfectly matched in color

Circa 1930's - 1940's, this early Mexican necklace is an absolute work of art. Signed and hallmarked "Ingrid's Silver". Ingrid's was a shop which retailed silver and hollowware from various silversmiths, among them Jorge "Chato" Castillo. This necklace pulls out all the stops. It's a fabulous modernist/deco design, composed of alternating cylinders of amethyst and sterling silver. The center silver cylinder measures 1 13/16" x 7/8", with a depth of 5/8". The silver panels graduate in size...

This lovely Antonio Pineda 970 Silver Bracelet features thick heavy links with a stylized leaf motif. Featured in the book Silver Masters of Mexico on page 181, it measures 6 7/8" long by 1" wide and has a substantial weight of 82.7 grams. Hallmarked with the Antonio Taxco Crown, 970, Sterling, Silver, ZZ609 and the eagle stamp 17. Secure box clasp and attached safety chain. A beautiful, elegant bracelet with timeless style.

It's been a while since I offered a vintage Italian silver cimaruta necklace but today I hope to prove the wait worth-while with this gorgeous set from the first decades of the 20th c.. An ancient talisman associated with Southern Italy, the cimaruta was used to protect against the evil eye and in our days, it has been re-invigorated as a powerful wiccan symbol...

This mid-century masterpiece is the work of Felipe Martinez, whose shop was called Piedra Y Plata.

The hand-carved and polished amethyst face is a gorgeous shade of purple and the repoussé silver work is magnificent. Earrings are obsidian. Recesses are oxidized, and the design shows great depth and dimension.

Can be worn both as a pin or pendant.

Measures 2 3/8" tall, 1 11/16" wide.

Weight is 39.1 grams.

Signed and hallmarked with...

Over the years of my career as a vintage Mexican jewelry dealer I have come to love and appreciate the "mask" pieces created by the Los Ballesteros workshop. I have to admit that this was not a "love-at-first-sight" affair. On the contrary, it took me some time to realize that prolific though they might have been, especially in the post-1980 years which witnessed a drop in creativity as well, the specific workshop excelled in the production of superb jewelry centered by carved stone effigies. Th...