Sterling silver amethyst necklace Margot de Taxco; Photograph DuMouchelle Art Gallery

Lot 22270 is described by the auctioneer as follows:

MARGOT DE TAXCO STERLING SILVER NECKLACE, L 15″:Sterling silver Margot de Taxco necklace with amethyst stones. Starting bid $ 150. Estimate $200 – $400

It seems likely that the bidding will go over the estimate – but you never know. Bids have already been placed. Get the details here.

You might also want to have a look at some of the vintage Margot de Taxco currently available on eBay (see below). Always be sure to do your research and purchase from reputable dealers, no matter what the selling venue may be.

Vintage Margot de Taxco #5744 Sterling Silver & Enamel Pin Brooch Mexico Mexican US $185.00 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Sunday Feb-05-2012 11:09:06 PST   | Watch this Item

Vintage Margot de Taxco #5744 Sterling Silver & Enamel Earrings Mexico Mexican US $165.00 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Sunday Feb-05-2012 11:10:26 PST   | Watch this Item

Vintage Margot de Taxco #5837 Sterling Silver & Enamel Pin Brooch Mexico Mexican US $185.00 (0 Bid) Auction Ends: Sunday Feb-05-2012 11:18:38 PST   | Watch this Item

VINTAGE SIGNED MARGOT DE TAXCO STERLING SILVER & ONYX PIN or PENDANT US $17.01 (3 Bids) Auction Ends: Sunday Feb-05-2012 16:23:51 PST   | Watch this Item

antique vintage Margot de Taxco sterling black enamel art deco designer bracelet US $142.49 (2 Bids) Auction Ends: Sunday Feb-05-2012 18:20:06 PST   | Watch this Item

Margot de Taxco vintage sterling silver and amethyst necklace originally appeared on Vintage Mexican Silver on February 2, 2012. Turn to Vintage Mexican Silver for the latest news about auctions and dealers in vintage Mexican silver jewelry and silverware, including mid-century modern and modernist design, William Spratling, Margot de Taxco, Los Castillo, Sigi and Antonio Pineda, Matl, Hector Aguilar, and other famous Mexican silver designers.Tweet This

Four Mexican silver bracelets; Photograph: A-1 Auction

These are offered by A-1 Auction of Maitland, Florida, with a starting bid of $150 (bidding has already begun). Lot 112 is described by the auctioneer as follows:

4 Mexican sterling bracelets: 2 open work matching cuffs (unmarked), Dragon bracelet marked Taxco Sterling, carved link bracelet marked Made in Taxco 980, 14.37 troy oz. Estimate $300 – $700

The auction begins at 9 a.m. (PT) on February 5th.  Get the details here.

Take a look at these Mexican silver bracelets to be sold Sunday originally appeared on Vintage Mexican Silver on January 30, 2012. Turn to Vintage Mexican Silver for the latest news about auctions and dealers in vintage Mexican silver jewelry and silverware, including mid-century modern and modernist design, William Spratling, Margot de Taxco, Los Castillo, Sigi and Antonio Pineda, Matl, Hector Aguilar, and other famous Mexican silver designers.Tweet This

It’s not often that the Antiques Roadshow “veil” is lifted, but recently Current.org published a must-read story that gives us a glimpse of the relationship between the appraisers and the show’s producing station, WBGH.  Read Conflicting appraisals: Minutes on Roadshow are pay enough for some here.

Here are the links (each one opens in a new window) to vintage Taxco silver jewelry appraisals on Antiques Roadshow:

Margot de Taxco Jewelry, ca. 1955

Taxco Silver Necklace & Bracelet, ca. 1950

And check out this link to a collection of 20th-Century Antonio Pineda Gold Jewelry that one lucky lady inherited from her parents, who were friends of Pineda’s.

Behind the scenes at Antiques Roadshow, and some vintage Taxco silver jewelry appraisals originally appeared on Vintage Mexican Silver on January 27, 2012. Turn to Vintage Mexican Silver for the latest news about auctions and dealers in vintage Mexican silver jewelry and silverware, including mid-century modern and modernist design, William Spratling, Margot de Taxco, Los Castillo, Sigi and Antonio Pineda, Matl, Hector Aguilar, and other famous Mexican silver designers.Tweet This

Top trends in antiques and collectibles originally appeared on Vintage Mexican Silver on January 24, 2012. Turn to Vintage Mexican Silver for the latest news about auctions and dealers in vintage Mexican silver jewelry and silverware, including mid-century modern and modernist design, William Spratling, Margot de Taxco, Los Castillo, Sigi and Antonio Pineda, Matl, Hector Aguilar, and other famous Mexican silver designers.Tweet This

Vintage Spratling sterling silver footed salt. Photograph: Crescent City Auction Gallery

Lot 283. Auctioneer’s description: William Spratling (1901-1967), Sterling Footed Salt, on a triangular rosewood base, H.- 1 in., Dia.- 2 5/8 in. Estimated Price: 150-300

At the same auction, you’ll find this vintage sterling silver and malachite necklace from Taxco:

Vintage Taxco sterling silver & malachite necklace. Photograph: Crescent City Auction Gallery

Lot 285. Auctioneer’s description: Mexican .970 Sterling and Malachite Link Necklace, 20th c., with shaped, pierced elongated links, the five central links mounted with oval cabochon malachite stones, signed “Antonio, Taxco.” Estimated Price: 150-250

Get all the auction details from Crescent City Auction Gallery here.

Vintage Spratling and other Mexican sterling silver at Saturday auction originally appeared on Vintage Mexican Silver on January 23, 2012. Turn to Vintage Mexican Silver for the latest news about auctions and dealers in vintage Mexican silver jewelry and silverware, including mid-century modern and modernist design, William Spratling, Margot de Taxco, Los Castillo, Sigi and Antonio Pineda, Matl, Hector Aguilar, and other famous Mexican silver designers.Tweet This

The starting bid was $ 50, and the estimate was $ 100 – $ 200. Alas – for the seller – the necklace sold for only $ 80. Assuming the piece is authentic, the buyer got a great deal.  Congratulations to the winner! You can see the auction listing here.

And that’s why it pays to know your marks, whether you’re buying or selling.

Know your marks follow-up: buyer got a deal on vintage Los Ballesteros necklace originally appeared on Vintage Mexican Silver on January 2, 2012. Turn to Vintage Mexican Silver for the latest news about auctions and dealers in vintage Mexican silver jewelry and silverware, including mid-century modern and modernist design, William Spratling, Margot de Taxco, Los Castillo, Sigi and Antonio Pineda, Matl, Hector Aguilar, and other famous Mexican silver designers.Tweet This

If you’re going to buy or sell vintage Mexican silver jewelry or other pieces, it’s important to learn as much as you can about hallmarks and maker’s marks. The must-have reference for vintage Mexican silver marks is Bille Hougart’s The Little Book of Mexican Silver Trade and Hallmarks. Click on the eBay link below to buy this book if you don’t already own it.

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The Little Book of Mexican Silver Trade and Hallmarks $ 23.95 0s

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Know your marks: vintage Los Ballesteros silver necklace auction originally appeared on Vintage Mexican Silver on December 31, 2011. Turn to Vintage Mexican Silver for the latest news about auctions and dealers in vintage Mexican silver jewelry and silverware, including mid-century modern and modernist design, William Spratling, Margot de Taxco, Los Castillo, Sigi and Antonio Pineda, Matl, Hector Aguilar, and other famous Mexican silver designers.Tweet This

Merry Christmas! originally appeared on Vintage Mexican Silver on December 24, 2011. Turn to Vintage Mexican Silver for the latest news about auctions and dealers in vintage Mexican silver jewelry and silverware, including mid-century modern and modernist design, William Spratling, Margot de Taxco, Los Castillo, Sigi and Antonio Pineda, Matl, Hector Aguilar, and other famous Mexican silver designers.Tweet This

This week Heritage Auctions, a prominent brokerage for movie memorabilia, suddenly pulled its offer of a silver belt buckle with a gold inlay of the Red River brand, just as the bidding reached $17,000. It was one of a handful of buckles commissioned in 1946, when the film was shot, as gifts by its director, Howard Hawks.

A Heritage representative called the buckle’s owner, Mara Alexandru, who had been given it by her father, Norman Cook, the production manager on “Red River.” The representative told her it had vanished — the same fate that had befallen at least two of the other “Red River” buckles over the years.

Heritage Auctions is, of course, an established auction house with an excellent reputation, but like any organization, it is made up of people, and we humans do make mistakes.

The lessons: deal only with reputable auction houses, be sure they have insurance to cover loss, document your item before handing it over, and get a receipt for that item.

You can read the complete article here. Take a look at the listing (Lot 46029, now marked “Lot Passed”) at Live Auctioneers here.

The mysterious case of the disappearing Howard Hawks silver belt buckle originally appeared on Vintage Mexican Silver on December 15, 2011. Turn to Vintage Mexican Silver for the latest news about auctions and dealers in vintage Mexican silver jewelry and silverware, including mid-century modern and modernist design, William Spratling, Margot de Taxco, Los Castillo, Sigi and Antonio Pineda, Matl, Hector Aguilar, and other famous Mexican silver designers.Tweet This

Margot Van Voorhies: The Art of Mexican Enamelwork
Margot Van Voorhies was an American in the mid-twentieth century who went to Taxco, Mexico, and established a jewelry design business best known for exquisite enamel work. This fascinating book relates the pains of her childhood and eventual refuge in Mexico, where she developed an artistic talent into the Margot de Taxco workshop, that employed hundreds of artisans, particularly including women. Her associations with Taxco silversmiths, who were taught by innovator William Spratling, became the springboard for her own development and success. Margot’s designs are distinctive, often based on spiral motifs inspired by vines and floral imagery. Glorious colored enamels in brilliant hues and original designs distinguish her work. Today, Margot Van Voorhies is considered one of the most productive silver artists in Taxco of the mid-20th century. Her legacy is featured here also, in the work of four contemporary artists who strive to create equally superior modern silver jewelry in Taxco.

The Little Book of Mexican Silver Trade and Hallmarks
The 2006 new and revised 2nd edition of the bestselling reference guide to identifying Mexican silver: Loaded with images and graphics of over 1500 marks of silver makers, designers, manufacturers and silver houses in Taxco and throughout Mexico. Eagle numbers from 1 through eagle 219. The book includes all the great ones, including William Spratling, Hector Aguilar, Los Castillo, Antonio Pineda, Sigi, Maricela, Salvador, Valentn Vidaurreta, Victoria, Fred Davis, Artemio Navarrete, Emma Melendez, Bernice Goodspeed, Maciel, Matl, Tane, Hubert Harmon, Chato, Margot and many, many others. The book is cross-referenced and indexed for quick and handy searches. The new edition reveals identities of many mystery marks and includes examples of marks not previously published. Special sections describing fake marks are included for prominent designers.

Mexican Silver: Modern Handwrought Jewelry & Metalwork
With a new section of makers marks and new photographs, here is the powerful story of the silver renaissance in Mexico from the 1920s to the present. The wealth of color photos showcases the incomparable beauty of jewelry, tableware, and art works in silver. Extensive research sheds new light on the life and art of William Spratling, Margot van Voorhies, Fred Davis, and Hubert Harmon, and on the artisans who worked for them, making this book the definitive study of Mexican silver jewelry and decorative objects.

Silver Seduction: The Art of Mexican Modernist Antonio Pineda
Antonio Pineda (b. 1919) is renowned for translating design elements evocative of Mexico’s past into often-astounding modernist silver jewelry, sculpture, and tableware. Perhaps more than any of his talented counterparts, he has been able to abstract and refine, producing elegant, spare, and geometric works that evidence a profound respect for the wearer. Pineda was also instrumental in the formation of the Taxco School of silver design. The over two hundred remarkable Pineda objects illustrated in this volume reflect the artist’s intense imagination and quest for technical perfection. While focusing on Pineda’s art from the 1930s through the 1970s, author Gobi Stromberg also places his career and the development of the Taxco School in context. She considers how a particular set of historical, political, cultural, social, and economic factors facilitated meetings between Mexican and American artists, intellectuals, writers, Hollywood stars, and musicians; spawned the building of roads opening up remote Mexican villages to a growing influx of U.S. tourists and expatriates of every stripe; encouraged a focus upon Mexico’s glorious Pre-Columbian heritage and the legacy of its indigenous peoples; and promoted the development of a unique system of production in the workshops of Taxco that made innovation and experimentation paramount. Stromberg and contributing essayist Ana Elena Mallet have in fact managed to untangle and address the multiple strands of influence that together resulted in an unprecedented period in silver design and execution, Taxco’s Silver Age.

William Spratling and the Mexican Silver Renaissance: Maestros de Plata
William Spratling revolutionized silver jewellery design in Mexico. Arriving in Taxco in 1929, by 1940 he had over 100 silversmiths producing his enormously popular silver creations. Important figures of the North American literary and art establishment, among them John dos Passos, William Faulkner and Georgia O’Keeffe, purchased his designs and sang his praises. Out of Spratling’s workshop emerged many of Mexico’s finest silver designers, including Hector Aguilar, Antonio Castillo and his brothers Jorge and Justo, Salvador Teran and Antonio Pineda. Their stiking jewellery and hollow-ware in silver – often set with precious stones and pre-Columbian artefacts – are prized collectibles.

Cherished books make great gifts from the heart! Get $2 off $20 when you buy books, music, movies or video games at www.alibris.com and use the code ILOVEBOOKS at checkout. This code expires December 31, 2011.

Great gifts for collectors of vintage Mexican or 20th century silver originally appeared on Vintage Mexican Silver on December 11, 2011. Turn to Vintage Mexican Silver for the latest news about auctions and dealers in vintage Mexican silver jewelry and silverware, including mid-century modern and modernist design, William Spratling, Margot de Taxco, Los Castillo, Sigi and Antonio Pineda, Matl, Hector Aguilar, and other famous Mexican silver designers.Tweet This