Share your favorites on Show & Tell

Early Taxco, or Pre-Columbian Re-do?

In Fine Jewelry > Show & Tell and Folk Art > Show & Tell.
Folk Art206 of 2611Unique Wooden rockerHaitian carving
5
Love it
0
Like it

raven3766raven3766 loves this.
rancherswiferancherswife loves this.
vcalvcal loves this.
dav2no1dav2no1 loves this.
vetraio50vetraio50 loves this.
See 3 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 3 years ago

    FridaysJoy
    (14 items)

    I'm a fool for early (pre-eagle) Taxco sterling, and this guy was unusual in that he is smiling. In Taxco "green onyx" (glass, actually) masks, it's pretty much the same face, over and over again—a grumpy-Muppet-looking dude with his eyes shut and mouth firmly DOWN. But here we see him smiling, mouth open. I've never seen another like him. And look closely at his back. It looks worn, much handled, and there is a chip where, logically, there oughtn't be, protected as that spot is by the hardware.
    I put this piece under the needle of my Presidium 2 tester and it comes up everywhere from quartz to nephrite, depending on where I slide the testing needle, which suggests that this stone was quarried, and moreover from a quarry that was tapping out of money-stone, nephrite jade. I don't know; I just have a strong, gut feeling this was an artifact that some enterprising soul crudely wired into a brooch for fast tourist moola, when Spratling's stuff went radioactively hot and Taxco silver was selling like chupas. But I'm willing to have my fantasy punctured, so have at it.
    Oh, I forgot to mention that he was minus his earrings when he came to me. I made replacements. (I am a jeweler.)

    Unsolved Mystery

    Help us close this case. Add your knowledge below.

    logo
    Fine Jewelry
    See all
    Natural Ammonite Fossil Gemstone Pendant Vintage 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry
    Natural Ammonite Fossil Gemstone Pe...
    $15
    Valentine's Gif Vintage Estate New Style 14k Yellow Gold FN 7.5
    Valentine's Gif Vintage Estate New ...
    $116
    14K Solid Yellow Gold Round Diamond-Cut Huggie Hoop Earrings Baby Small 10MM
    14K Solid Yellow Gold Round Diamond...
    $89
    Vintage & Estate New Style 14k Yellow Gold Finish 7.5
    Vintage & Estate New Style 14k Yell...
    $100
    logo
    Natural Ammonite Fossil Gemstone Pendant Vintage 925 Sterling Silver Jewelry
    Natural Ammonite Fossil Gemstone Pe...
    $15
    See all

    Comments

    1. vetraio50 vetraio50, 3 years ago
      It is very interesting.

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.