Maestro Nestor is one of Taxco’s well-kept little secrets. He is not widely known - only the very dedicated vintage Mexican silver jewelry collectors are aware of his work - and his pieces can vary in style and inspiration. Yet when he is at his best, he can be truly spectacular. I believe the necklace at hand is expresses one of those creative moments...

Here is a supremely rare necklace from Los Castillo, with their earliest hallmarks dating 1930-1940. Likely designed by Margot. Executed in 980 silver, it is a spectacular piece with a pre-Columbian design composed of seven repoussé silver glyph panels and tubular beads and balls. Lays beautifully upon the neck and certainly commands attention. Collector quality. Measures a closed, wearable length of 16", with a width of 1 1/4". Weight is 85.6 grams...

One of my favorite "less celebrated" maestros whose jewelry, however, has been experiencing a constant rise in appreciation among collectors, A. Tobias was a contemporary of Matilde Poulat's and I believe he was probably also working in Mexico City. His creations caught my attention several years ago for their characteristic "Mexico City style" repoussage and their beautiful craftsmanship...

The bearer of Zeus's thunderbolts Pegasus, the winged stallion of Greek mythology, is also associated with literary and artistic inspiration. One of my favorite images from that period, he is always depicted striding the air with pride and confidence, his strong, wings working hard to raise that formidable body high into the lofty realms of the divine...

Offered on consignment........... Felipe Martinez had been a sculptor before opening his shop in 1950. The shop was called "Piedra Y Plata", (Stone and Silver). Martinez had worked with Hubert Harmon at one time in the 1940's. This bracelet likely dates 1950's. Composed of sixteen curved S links, the amethysts are gorgeous gemstones with deep purple hues, quartz marbling, and natural inclusions. Drapes over the wrist like silk, and looks positively magnificent...

Stunning and rare, especially in its use of the specific stone, this vintage Mexican silver necklace features a combination pin / pendant signed by Taxco's foremost lapidary, Felipe Martinez, and a substantial chain from the same period which I believe might be by the same maestro as it bears an Eagle assay mark that Martinez used. And yes, the superbly carved "mask" is teased out of tiger's eye stone though a more unusual kind that it often referred to as "hawk's" or "falcon's eye"...

Circa 1940-1945, this masterpiece from Los Castillo pulls out all the stops. The craftsmanship is magnificent, the design sublime. The prong set faceted stones are almost black in color, with brown striations which can be seen from the back of the stones. The design is full of swirls and tiny beading. Centerpiece has six dangles and measures 5 1/2" wide and 2 1/4" tall. Closed, wearable length is 17". Weight is 112.7 grams...

An early Los Castillo design and very much in keeping with the 1940s' love for sweeping flourishes this set of earrings, carefully hand-cut, overlaid and oxidized will add just the right amount of festive spirit to your outfit. Bold and confident, the swirls seem to twist upon themselves in excitement and then reach high up for the skies with abandonment. Got to love the Los Castillo and the myriad ways in which they still make our day...

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...

Two different sizes of sterling silver barrel beads adorned with a myriad of hand-made florets in the Etruscan style make up this generously long Mexican lariat necklace from the pre-1948 period. I am very partial to long necklaces and lariats are a small obsession of mine...

Hand wrought in thick silver & weighing 95 grams this cuff was designed by Spratling in the 1940's. The bracelet stands 1 1/2" high and will comfortably fit up to a 6 3/4" wrist. Inside diameter is 2 1/2". The back opening is 1 1/4" wide. The bracelet is in beautiful condition with a nicely aged patina. Hallmarked on the reverse. The design is pictured on p. 37 of MEXICAN SILVER by Penny Morrill & Carole Berk. Also pictured on Phyllis Goddards' spratlingsilver.com.

Known for their high quality of holloware primarily, Ingrid's remains even today one of those elusive actors in the story of Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance. Active in the 1930s and 1940s, as Bille Hougart reports, this retailer seems to have been the venue through which well-known maestros like Chato Castillo sold some of their creations. Based on my experience I can say that jewelry bearing their signature is not very often encountered but when it pops up, it is always on big, bold and bea...

Maestro Damaso Gallegos was for years associated in my mind with the Mexican Deco "Christmas jewelry” tradition. His “holly and bells” as well as “bow and bells” designs are a classic way to celebrate the coming of the holiday season yet in the last couple of years I keep stumbling upon totally unexpected pieces by him. The massive, early Taxco combination pin / pendant with the carved stone “mask” at hand is crafted in high purity, .980 silver with overlay, beading and oxidation. ...

Classic Antonio Pineda bangle bracelet wrought in the maestro's favorite, .970 fine silver alloy with deep notches all around it that appear more dramatic thanks to the intentionally applied oxidation. There is something about Antonio's jewelry that bring them close to your heart as soon as you first see them and this piece is no exception. Enjoy it alone or, if you are lucky enough, add it to the stack of his bangles you already have. The bracelet has an inner circumference of 7 3/4" (2 1/2" i...

After working for Spratling in Las Delicias and Hector Aguilar in Taller Borda, Reveriano Castillo opened his shop Reveri in 1952 with the co-operation of his wife, Maria. His jewelry is known for its impeccable finishing and the good quality of materials used so I am always happy to come upon one of his creations. The set of earrings at hand in an abstract floral design with articulated stamen dangle is as sweet-as-can-be and ideal to celebrate the coming of Spring this year. Measuring 1 3/4...

One of my favorite female designers of Mexico's 20th c. Silver Renaissance (and admittedly, they aren't so many to begin with), Carmen Beckmann was a rather flexible maestra, able to create in many different styles. using a variety of materials. Her jewelry can be massive and jaw-dropping but quite as easily delicate and more sophisticated. The bracelet I am presenting here I call rare not so much for its design (which I have not seen before) but primarily for the scarcely seen snowflake obsidia...

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...

Glowing with the patina of time that adds precious depth to recesses of the design, this vintage Los Castillo repousse brooch has a more romantic air about it than most of their work. I love the combination of twists and twirls with the stylized "trumpet" flowers at the top and even though the elements which have been called into service here are definitely floral, I can't stop seeing the eyes of a night owl staring back at me in wise contemplation. Measuring 2 3/4" wide by 1 7/8" tall the brooc...