Antique and Vintage Mexican Silver

From the distant precolumbian past to modern times, Mexican silverware lays claim to a long and fertile tradition.

Mexico has long been one of the great silver-producing countries. As a result, and not surprisingly, its artists and silversmiths have created everything from stunning jewelry and intricately designed religious objects to highly collectible coins and exquisite silverware for the table. Many people are Mexican silver enthusiasts these days, and quite a few galleries and eBay sellers offer fine examples of Mexican silver art and craft, old and new.

Some of the legendary names collectors look for are William Spratling, Margot de Taxco, Antonio Pineda, Sigi Pineda, Hector Aguilar, Los Castillo, Victoria, Ana Brilante, Cony, Tono, Salvador Teran, Frederick Davis, Los Ballesteros, to name just a few.

This is a tribute to the history, beauty, and craftsmanship of antique and vintage Mexican silver. I hope you enjoy it!

Here are some Tips to help you when you want to buy vintage Mexican silver jewelry

William Spratling was a talented designer of Mexican jewelry, silver hollowware, tin, copper, and furniture, and he established the model for the Mexican silver industry. You can learn more about him here.

Here is a good overview of Taxco silver jewelry by a collector and dealer of Mexican silver jewelry.

Several wonderful pieces of vintage Mexican jewelry have been shown on PBS' Antiques Roadshow. A mid-20th century Jose de Rivera silver pin was appraised in a 2006 episode that you can watch here. A suite consisting of a necklace, pendant, pin, earrings and bracelet by Margot de Taxco ca. 1955 was appraised in a 2005 episode. Watch it here.

Antonio Pineda, the legendary Mexican modernist jewelry designer, gave this interview in 2000 while visiting Los Angeles. Photographs of some of his jewelry designs are included. You can read an interview with Sigi Pineda and see wonderful photographs of his work here.

The Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks has a good section on Mexican Silver Marks & Makers' Marks.

You'll also find separate sections for William Spratling hallmarks, Hector Aguilar hallmarks, Antonio Pineda hallmarks, and Los Castillo hallmarks. And, you can see examples of the beautiful silver pieces created by many of the great silversmiths of Mexico, including Margot de Taxco and Carmen Beckmann, and Salvador Teran.

eBay member sugarb5 has written an eBay Guide called Vintage Mexican Silver Jewelry and Holloware. Another eBay member, qazxz1219, has a guide as well: Mexican Sterling Silver Jewelry.

Modern Silver is an online magazine about modern silver jewelry, metal arts and objects, and allied decorative arts items. Use its search function to find articles and information about vintage Mexican silver, and join its Silver Forum for discussions about silver.

A BOHEMIAN'S MEXICAN SILVER LEGACY is a brief article about William Spratling and vintage Mexican silver, published in BusinessWeek.

If you are looking for information about specific jewelry terms, visit the Glossary at the American Society of Jewelry Historians.

Mexican Jewelry, Mary L. Davis and Greta Pack, University of Texas Press, Austin, TX, 1982

Mexican Silver, Penny Chittim Morrill and Carole A. Berk, Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, PA, 1994

Mexican Silver, exhibition catalog from Europalia 93 Mexican Silver exhibit, Museum voor Sierkunst, Gent, Belgium, 25 September-12 December 1993

Silver Masters of Mexico, Penny Chittim Morrill, Schiffer Publishing, Atglen PA, 1996

Spratling Silver: A Field Guide (Recognizing a William Spratling Treasure), Phyllis M. Goddard, Keenan Tyler Paine 2003

The Color of Silver: William Spratling His Life and Art, Taylor D. Littleton, Louisiana State University Press, 2000

The Little Book of Mexican Silver Trade and Hallmarks, Second Edition, Bille Hougart, TBR International, Inc. 2006. The 2nd edition of the bestselling reference guide to identifying Mexican silver contains images and graphics of over 1500 marks of silver makers, designers, manufacturers and silver houses in Taxco and throughout Mexico.

The Silver Gringo, Joan Mark, University of New Mexico Press, 2000

William Spratling and the Mexican Silver Renaissance, Penny C. Morrill, Harry N. Abrams Inc., 2002

William Spratling and the Taxco School, by Monica Clare McLaughlin, published by Jewelers Circular Keystone in 2004