CLEARANCE SALE

Nothing makes my heart beat faster like a CLEARANCE SALE especially if its TAXCO Mexican Vintage Jewelry...
Ck out Eriks website and good luck....

Eisenberg Original in Mexico

Rare and hard to find - these are now popping up on ebay.
This one has a reserve with an opening bid of $9.99.
The workmanship is ok - actually, its not very good at all.
I have to ck my books to see which workshop executed the Eisenberg line.
Eisenberg took the same route as Marcel Boucher and Coro - American companies that during the second world war went to Mexico in search of Sterling and new and exciting designs....
Except for Eisenberg Original, the designs and workmanship from Mexico (Parisina, Coro) were exceptional.
My opinion of course. I do like that Eisenberg Original are rustic looking with mesoamerican designs....Other than the green stones, I havent seen any other colored stones...
OK so how many Eisenberg Originals do you have??
Here is a bit more info I found:

During the 40's some of the costume jewelry being sold in the US by US companies was "outsourced" to Mexico. Eisenberg Original produced some silver & non-silver jewelry there, much of it set with a dyed green onyx. If you read Vintage Fashion & Costume Jewelry, you will find an article "Eisenberg Ole'" about these pieces, authored by Bobye Syverson, in Vol. 17 No. 1, 2007, one picture presented here = www.Sparklz.com/706/u70624pic.jpg .

Collectors Weekly just published this article on Eisenberg just this week:
Rhinestone Dynasty: Karl Eisenberg Talks About His Family’s Costume Jewelry
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/rhinestone-dynasty-karl-eisenberg-talks-about-his-familys-costume-jewelry/
See item number 6 for the Eisenberg in Mexico info.
However, the info is still limited and there is no mention or pic of the Eisenberg Original pieces from Mexico. Which you know are a stark contrast to their exceptionally made jewelry.

Patzcuaro INSPIRED Earrings From Taxco

PESCADOS DE PATZCUARO - CORAL Y PESCADOS EN PLATA














When I saw these they just screamed Patzcuaro. Now, there are a couple of issues with that: First, they are marked or stamped TAXCO with a spread eagle mark of what looks like 191. Second, I have not seen any documented earrings in this particular style for Patzcuaro.
OK so why do I think they are Patzcuaro?
For the two obvious reasons: fish & coral.
Despite the markings - I'm going with design on this one and say its Patzcuaro.
I love them and they are a full 3 inches long = how cool are they?!
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UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

I wanted to get a second expert opinion on my self-proclaimed Patzcuaro earrings...I asked the proprietor of OLDBEADS to ck them out - Here is his discussion -

Tia,

I am pretty sure they are not typical in any way and not illustrating any particular style. The fish don't mean much anymore as far as placing where they were made as there are plateros all over Mexico using the fish image now.

And truly, coral is not that typical in Patzcuaro - there is no access to coral other than buying it from someone bringing it from the Gulf - they have generally used glass beads the colour of coral.

This is most likely a contemporary platero in Taxco who has designed their own piece - this is not tradition in any sense but a personal design. The screw on earrings are more a european style as well - most Mexican women have pierced ears, pierced when they are still babes.

my opinion...
best,
Silva
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So because they are marked TAXCO my expert believes, and I have to agree, that these are really Patzcuaro inspired since there is no similar documented design for these.
Despite this, they are really cool....

Thanks Silva for your time and expertise in assessing my earrings...Tia

Form & Function Marbeth's New Book

Not sure when this came out but I just ordered it on Amazon.
It features American studio slash modernist from 1940 - 1970.
I hope Marbeth goes on a book signing tour with Borders cuz I would really like a signed copy and have pic with her...yay!

Guadalupe Castellanos Grotesque & Rare

Oh La La - Rare and hard to find - Mostly because this Taxco designer has no noted or documented signature...Instead, collectors are challenged to identify the characteristics of work.

Luckily for me, these earrings were pictured in the Davis & Pack book - see page 204 Plate 130. Its actually a drawing of the earrings with an accurate description of sterling and brass. The only markings on my earrings is Mexico Silver. Also, they are bigger than I anticipated about 2 1/2 inches long - the outside border is sterling with the dimpled interior brass. Pre-hispanic motif, well constructed and pierced to boot.

I liked Gualdalupe's idea of no markings - you really have to dig to find any of his work...Grotesque though it is...I love it!

Celia Harms Mexican Sterling Designer

How cool is this ring? It screams modernist in design and certainly looks Scandinavian - a bit NE From-esque...
So I was pleasantly surprised to see a Mexico marking - You will note I say Mexico and not Taxco specifically. For two reasons. The most obvious is it is not signed or marked Taxco but Mexico. Second, I can find nothing about Celia Harms.

If you have any info about Celia Harms that you can share, I would certainly appreciate it...I checked the Hallmark Mexico page (925-1000) and the Mystery Marks (Modern Silver) page - I got nothing.
Does anyone know Marbeth? Maybe she can shed some light on this designer...
Here are a couple more examples - BTW I have no Celia Harms in my collection - Yeah, now you know its made my must have list....

PARISINA Marcel Boucher in Mexico

I was traveling and was fortunate enough to catch a flea market...
I found this great Parisina Dancer brooch - the back pin is missing but the price was right. Its great...My dancer brooch is blue but I found other colors including yellow and greet. Prices varied for this dancer brooch but most started at around $200

Here are a couple of other Marcel Boucher pieces as samples. I think they are distinct and identifiable (I think) as MB...gotta love it...



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New MARGOT Book DELAYED

I just received this message from Amazon:

Unfortunately, we are unable to ship the item(s) as soon as we expected and need to provide you with a new estimate of when the item(s) may be delivered:

Penny C. Morrill "Margot Van Voorhies The Art of Mexican Enameled Jewelry"
Estimated arrival date: December 24 2010

Close your eyes - Take a deep sigh - Relax -
It will arrive soon - Really - soon....