Antonio Necklace - POR

How cool is this Antonio Necklace?! - It matches my bracelet and I have searching high and low for this piece....So did you notice the POR? I hate the POR - its Price On Request - thats code for "Its-really-super-expensive-and-If-you-have-to-call-or-email-me-for-the-price-you-probably-cant-afford-it" Actually, I think I saw this some months ago emailed and its like $6,000. OK So I think I can wait for it to pop up on ebay...My patience is infinite...HaHa.

Feliz Navidad 2009

So its that time of year for elbowing other shoppers at the stores n malls. I'm not really doing a lot of Christmas shopping this season - Actually, I dont do much any season. I find its in direct conflict with my whole taxco acquisition goals.
I never have enuf funds to do both - for some odd reason the taxco always wins. LOL!! I did get a Matl pin that I paid too much for and was soooo disappointed with - it looks like a remake and I didnt notice the mark was applied on to the piece which I hate because it tells me that they were made separately. I didnt return it and just sucked it up - I need to pay closer attention to the details.
In my area the local Antique Shows have all but been done away with since we have a monthly Antique Show. Its sooo cold tho that I didnt go this month - -
My thanks to Marbeth Schon for the use of the christmas tree image...here is her website - love it visit it - cant say I have ever purchased anything tho...
http://www.mschon.com/mexicansilver.htm

Bracelets That I Like for Winter

Yeah, who doesnt have seasonal jewelry? I like the Pedro Castillo bracelet for winter cuz its called the snowflake bracelet - I guess cuz it looks like a snowflake. I'm sure it snows somewhere in Mexico, though I doubt that was the initial inspiration for this bracelet. I also posted the markings. I always like to see that pieces are marked like ppl say they are - - The Maguey Hector Aguilar is really nice, and yes, I do wear it during other times of the year. The Margot bracelet is really nice and big. I'm still looking for the matching necklace - in an affordable price range. Occasionally, it pops up on ebay but now I'm so reluctant to buy any Margot on ebay due to the number of fakes and repros.

Ck out this Blog

For all you taxco jewelry mavens ck out this blog - -

http://www.vintage-mexican-silver.com/Blog/famous-designers-mexican-silver/matl-matilde-poulat-vintage-mexican-silver-jewelry/

Same interests = mexican sterling silver jewelry - I like that we have the same interests......

My Miguel Covarrubias Necklace Patzcuaro

Super nice authentic vintage Patzcuaro Necklace. The only other one I have seen is pictured in the Davis & Pack Mexican Jewelry book. Although there are no markings on this one at all this piece, note that the ones in the book are also unmarked. Produced by Mr. Jesus Cazares in the Patzcuaro region, these fish designs are continued to be made today - see oldbeads.com for a peek at whats coming out of there today. The design is a slightly varied but very wearable.
A look at the back looks like this may have started out as a pin slash brooch. When I got it, the pin was gone, and only one of the drilled holes had a broken chain hanging off of it...I removed that and added red dogbone shaped beads interspaced with sterling beads. Ya just like in the book...Go ahead, just try to find another just like it. Please email me if you do - I am always in the market.



I added a couple of my other Patzcuaro inspired necklaces. Also pictured in Davis n Pack - altho a couple of the fish are missing - I'm considering taking them to my jeweler to have some copies made. My jeweler is really good and pretty sure he can do it....Nice huh? Or do I need to get out more?

MY Mexican Folk Necklaces

I guess I kinda like these given I have more than 3 of each. I got the first one some years ago at a flea market. I thought they were different and I knew the beads were really old white hearts. Also, look at the old crucifix - prob made from old melted down copper coins. Its like an poor mans version of a crucifix. Very rustic - the other one is the same - like a rudimentary medallion of christ. The brass beads are really old - not sure how old these are and I have not seen this in any books (not even Donald Codry).


I was surprised recently to see these old reliquiarys (sp?) that they are soooo expensive. I guess they are somewhat rare - I dont hardly see them except on speciality websites for old religious items - never my first stop for shopping. Again, I was just interested in the beads and this just happened to be hanging off it...Its interspered with brass beads and small oval shaped beads that look like a cazo - a small pot if you will. Its great and in the permanent collection.




I'm not sure how it happened but I have ended up with several (more than three) coin necklaces. I was fascinated with these when I first saw a BLUE one in the film El Norte - the girl sells her necklace of silver coins and cobalt blue beads to be $$ to go north to the USA. I have not run into a blue coin necklace but I'm still looking. At any rate, these are old - the coins date from 1896 to 1920's - most have white hearts but I have one that has red bugle beads - -

Recent Acquisition - ANTONIO Yes!!

I cant believe I managed to score this one - actually, it might be two. You be the judge with the pics. First its the 'squares with lifted corners' 970 silver and black onyx on every other corner. Its nice and heavy. Thankfully, the previous owner did not polish it and the sender was kind enough not to polish. So even tho you think you are looking at tarnish, you are WRONG! Its actually a patina (rhymes with Katina). With 970 silver its takes a long time to tarnish. Thats the reason this particular designer used such a content of silver - almost pure. Cuz it doesnt tarnish - or if it does it takes a long time. Love it love it. So dont think this was a cheap - tho given the current state of affairs on ebay with Mexican silver, I think it was a good buy.




The other I got for under $100. Now I know what your thinking. But this one just sold on ebay for $900 - The Antonio Pineda puzzle bracelet. This one is 970 silver and is marked with the MCI in a guitar shaped stamp which has been associated with Antonio. So, I cant say for sure it is but I cant say it isnt either...anyway for the price I dont care either way its really nice. The only thing about this one is that after wearing it awhile I have no hair left on my wrist...ouch! It was slightly painful at first - of course, now my wrist is super smooth...lol!