Signed Mexico vintage costume jewelry

Signed Mexico vintage costume jewelry
Mexico is a generic label adopted for all silver jewelry made in Mexico. Next to it is the mark of the master and the sample. Also, the name of the city, for example, Taxco. According to the law of Mexico, all silver products of this country, regardless of whether they were made by the master “on the knee” or at the factory, since 1948, must have stamp “Made in Mexico” or “Mexico” and sample.
With this stamp you can find out the years jewelry production. Anyway, Mexican vintage jewelry contains high quality 925 sterling silver.
The vintage jewelry market offers Mexican silver jewelry inlaid with abalone – most common in the sale. As a rule, these jewelry pieces feature traditional theme of the Indians with fancy patterns and ornaments. Traditionally, most silver items demonstrate visible high-quality work of the master. Noteworthy, the older the decoration is and the harder the pattern of abalone – the more expensive is the product.

In fact, the mass production of silver jewelry for tourists began in 1920. At the same time, when the modern Mexican jewelry industry began to develop, archaeological excavations open masterpieces of ancient jewelry art.

From 1948 to 1980, along with other symbols, names and emblems, Mexican jewelers marked silver products with various styles of stamps depicting an eagle. According to some sources, the exact marking with an eagle stamp began in 1946. Besides, a number put next to it, indicated the location and identification of the manufacturer.

Signed Mexico vintage costume jewelry

Noteworthy, in 1980, in Mexico appeared a new system for registering silversmiths. Thus, all silverware was stamped with letters and numbers, where the first symbol — the letters, indicated the city of production. The second symbol meant the name of the silversmith. Also, the adjacent numerical value was the number under which the master was registered in the given city. Traditionally, the cities where the silversmiths had registration were Mexico City and Taxco.

Some Mexican silver can be noted as – “Alpaca” or “Alpaca Silver”. However, alpaca is not a silver alloy. Craftsmen use copper, nickel, zinc and most often iron, to replace silver. The alpaca alloy does not really contain silver, however, products made from it can be coated with sterling silver or 925 silver. In Latin America, a large number of jewelry is made from alpaca.

The most famous center of silver craft in Mexico is the city of Taxco, which has become a synonym for the word “silver.” Meanwhile, the history of the jewelry industry in Taxco is inextricably linked with the activities of the American artist silversmith William Spratling. In the 30s of XX century he opened his own school in the city and taught the art of processing precious metals.

Thanks to the care and support of Spratling, many craftsmen opened their own workshops and brought fame to the country. Today, almost half of the residents of the city are to some extent involved in the industry of silver jewelry production and sale. Now there is a museum in Taxco, dedicated to the life, work and creativity of local masters W. Spratling.

Signed Mexico vintage costume jewelry