Category Archives: Jewelry

Exvotos Mexican Folk Art, Vintage + Silver Jewelry, Pillow Covers Sale

Mexico’s Ex-Votos are collectible naive folk art that tell a story of thanksgiving for being saved from near-death or disaster. Yes, it was a miracle to survive.  Usually, the person who escaped tragedy would hire a local artist to paint a tin square depicting the scene. The message of thanks may have included many misspellings, as the painters were not educated. They often include depictions of the saint to whom the supplicant is sending prayers of thanks.

Three of the exvotos are reproductions by famed Mexico City artist Rafael Rodriguez. One is a vintage piece dating from the 1950’s, acquired from a collector friend.

To Buy: Send me an email and tell me which piece(s) you want indicating the number of the item, your name and mailing address. I will send you a PayPal invoice and add-on $8 USD for USPS priority mail if you are in the lower 48 states.

Time sensitive. Purchases must be made by Monday, December 10, 2018. I fly away to North Carolina on December 12, and I’ll need time to package for taking with me.

#1. Vintage Exvoto, 1950s, $495

#1 is a whimsical, vintage exvoto, rare and in excellent condition for its age, is a perfect example of naive folk art, painted at Chapala, Jalisco in the 1950s, according to my collector friend in Mexico City (and she should know!). It says: Gracias a la virgencita y el niño por senar a mi hijo enfermo de Tifoidea a anto de morir. El sans infinitamente agracidas. (signed) Lupe Ma. Miraflores Lopez, Chapala, Jalisco.  (Thanks to the little virgin and her son for saving my son from typhoid before he died. He is infinitely thankful.) Measures 10-1/4″ x 8-1/2″

#2, Skeletons, $135

#2 is a reproduction by famed Mexico City exvoto artist Rafael Rodriguez, painted on tin. It measures 14-1/4″ x 10-1/4″ and says: Roperta Lara da las gracias con esta laminita pues unas calaveras nos atacaran a mi y mi vieja. Puebla, 9 de julio de 1940. Roperta Lara gives thanks with this plaque since the skeletons didn’t attack me and my old lady.

#3, The Temptress Snake Woman, $110

#3 is a reproduction by famed Mexico City exvoto artist Rafael Rodriguez. It measures 12″ x 9-3/4″ and says: Contava la gente que salia una serpiente mujer que se lleva va a los hombres a su gruta y alli se los come hasta con zapatos y zombrero.  Jalisco a 5 de Julio de 1938.  Saved from Contava the snake woman who comes out of her cave and captures men and eats them, except for their shoes and hat.

#4 Rufina Estrada is saved, $75

#4 is an exvoto reproduction by Mexico City artist Rafael Rodriguez. It measures 10″ x 7-1/2″ and says: Rufina Estrada dedica esta laminita porque me salve de la huesuda. San Luis, a 11 de enero 1939. Rufina Estrada dedicates this plaque because she was saved from death. San Luis, January 11, 1939.

#5 Vintage Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Silver & White Heart Necklace, $795

#5 is a rare necklace, attributed to Patzcuaro, Michoacan, according to famous Oaxaca jeweler Federico, from whom I bought this some years ago. The beads are vintage, rare and collectible Venetian glass trade beads called White Hearts, brought to the Americas by Cortes. There are 15 handmade silver Virgin of Soledad (?) pendants, each 1-1/2″ long by 7/8″ wide. Pendants have various designs. The necklace is 20″ long. An outstanding piece.

#5 detail, pendants have several unique designs

#6 is a vintage sterling silver beaded necklace, Taxco, $265

#6 is one of those unusual finds, 40 perfectly formed 15 mm beads made in the heyday of Taxco silversmithing, probably from the 1960’s. 23-1/2″ long. I bought these beads in Puebla. The chain broke and I had them restrung on very sturdy jewelers wire.

#6 detail of Taxco bead necklace

#8 new, Spratling sterling silver chain, $395

#8 detail, Spratling stamp

#8 is a new William Spratling sterling silver chain, made in the Spratling studios in Taxco, Guerrero, and is 22″ long. It is a contemporary piece cast from Spratling’s original molds by the Ulrich sisters, who own the famed franchise and whose father was Spratling’s business partner before Spratling died. 

#9 sterling and inlaid abalone shell fish pin, $95

#9 is a perfect specimen of Taxco silver and inlay mastery, from the 60’s or 70’s. 1-1/4″ wide by 1″ high. The abalone shell glimmers and the silver work is pristine. Fish pin, inlaid abalone on silver. Excellent. $95.

#9 Detail

Three Pillow Covers From Chiapas

These pillow covers are woven by the famed cooperative El Camino de Los Altos by women who use back strap looms. The designs are not embroidered, they are woven into the cloth. They each measure 17″ x 16-1/2″ and they are $35 each.

#10 Deep Gray, $35

#11, Gold, $25

#12, White, $35

Mexico Bejeweled Mostly Silver Jewelry Sale

SOLD. #1 Oaxaca Gold Filigree vintage, Teotitlan del Valle

This will be my last “for sale” post of the season! I’m on my way back to Oaxaca on June 22 via Chicago for a stopover to visit friends. From there, it will be Aeromexico connecting through Mexico City to Oaxaca on June 28. It will be good to get back to my other home and those three campo dogs! Let’s see if they missed me.

It’s time to part with some treasures that have been in my collection for a while. Yes, I did wear them, so they aren’t brand new. A few pieces are vintage. A few pieces are not being made anymore. They all reflect the best quality silversmithing that Mexico has to offer.

To make a purchase please send an email to norma.schafer@icloud.com

  1. Indicate what you want to buy by NUMBER.
  2. Tell me your mailing address.
  3. Prices do not include mailing. I will add $8 per package for mailing within the US. For Canada or international, I’ll send you mailing cost before I invoice you.
  4. Order and pay by Wednesday, June 20, 2018
  5. Note: The last day I will accept an order is June 20. That will give me time to invoice you, for you to pay with PayPal and for me to package and mail to you.
  6. Thank you very much for your consideration.

#1 detail, Oaxaca vintage 12 Kt. Gold Filigree

SOLD. #1 was bought to support my neighbor who needed to build a kitchen. She begged me to buy this pair of earrings so of course, I did, though I already had a similar pair! What’s to do? Sometimes, we call it the Gringa Tax. The price to live in an indigenous village. Okay, so I’m finally getting around to selling these. You put the hook in through the back of your lobe and connect it to the gold disk. Measures: 1-1/2″ in diameter. Very fine filigree work. $285 USD.

#2 Sterling Silver Filigree earrings

SOLD. #2 sterling silver filigree earrings are made by Oaxaca silversmith Mario Perez. He used to share a shop on the Alacala with Jacobo and Maria Angeles Ojeda. His studio is near Atzompa. Exceptional quality silver filigree.  These earrings hook from the front to the back and have a French closure. Measures 1-1/4″ diameter. $195 USD.

#3 Sterling Silver Filigree Baskets

SOLD. #3. I bought these some years ago from Teotitlan del Valle painter, designer and weaver Pantaleon Ruiz Martinez. He was working with a Oaxaca master to create one-of-a-kind filigree earrings. I admired them for their beauty and delicate workmanship. Since then, I’ve migrated to bolder, so these can be yours. Perfect condition, only worn a few times. French closure. Measures 1-3/4″ long. $145 USD.

#4 famous designer earrings

SOLD. #4 was handcrafted by Brigitte and Ivan, the French silversmiths who worked in Oaxaca for over 20 years. Their legacy is renown. These are made using the lost wax casting technique developed in pre-Hispanic Mexico. Measures 2″ long from were the hook hangs from the earlobe hole. $135 USD.

#5 sterling silver bracelet–a statement piece

SOLD. #5 is also designed and made by Brigitte Huet and her husband Ivan under their mark Kandart. It is a weighty sterling silver with a slide closure in the style of the grand masters of Taxco. I have priced this at $400 USD, less than its original cost. It is a work of art. Rarely worn. 7″ long.

#6 William Spratling earrings

SOLD. #6  — sterling silver cast earrings from the William Spratling workshop in Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico from the original molds that Spratling used in Taxco’s silver heyday in the 40’s and 50’s.  They are on posts. Lightweight because the triangle shape is hollow. Patina. $125 USD.

#6 back detail

#7 Sterling and Alpaca Bangle Mix

#7 is a group of 11 bangle bracelets for a smaller wrist. The diameter opening is 2-1/2 inches. The alpaca is a metal that looks like silver, popular in the 50’s and 60’s and there are four of these with enamel work in white, black and turquoise. The remaining seven are sterling silver. $95 USD for the set.

#8 Cowgirl Beans Necklace

SOLD. #8 is from Cuetzalan Puebla where beans rule! They are strung on a sturdy woven twine and knotted. Pair with other necklace strands to add a fun look. Measures about 24 inches long. $27 USD.

#9 Chiapas Coin Necklace

SOLD. #9 is from Magdalenas Aldama where the ladies string glittery glass beads, use colorful braided ties, and sell them. A penny for your thoughts. These are embellished with five Mexican 50 centavo pieces to add interest to what is an already attention-getting neck adornment. Measures 36″ end-to-end. Tie it however long or short you want. $65 USD.

#10 Quetzalcoatl ring — Serpent God

SOLD. #10 is another fine piece by Brigitte Huet. Its Mayan symbol is Quetzalcoatl the serpent-god who could transform himself. Sterling silver made using the lost wax casting technique. I’m not sure of the ring size. I think it may be a 7.  $115 USD.

Inside #10 quetzalcoatl ring

#11 Silver and Coral Earrings from Patzcuaro, Michoacan

SOLD. #11 are made by Kutzi jewelers, one of the few jewelry studios still in existence in Patzcuaro, Michoacan. All hand-wrought. Measures 2-1/2″ long from where the hook hangs in your earlobe. $110 USD.

#12 Love Bird sterling silver, onyx and coral earrings, Estado de Mexico

#12 are made by the talented Mazahua people from the State of Mexico. I bought them in Mexico City from Victor Arte Popular. Pilar Fosado’s father worked with the artisans and collaborated on the designs. Not easy to find these any more. Put into your ear from the back to the front. $135 USD.

#13 Love Birds #2 w/ Garnets and Coral, hooks

#13 are another version of the Love Birds with garnets and coral drops. This version has a hook that you put through your ear from front to back. Measures 3″ long. $135 USD.

#14 Lady Bracelet, sterling silver

#14, Brigitte Huet called this bracelet Lady. The workmanship is spectacular with lots of intricate and detailed carving in the wax which was picked up in the silver during the casting technique that uses the sling. Easy to use toggle closure. Measures 7-1/2″ long. $350 USD.

#14 detail of Lady Bracelet

#15 Münecas (Dolls) Necklace

SOLD. #15 is a fun, hand-painted Folk Art doll necklace from the 70’s strung with glass beads. Measures 20″ long. $45 USD.

#16 Navajo Pearls, New Mexico

SOLD. #16. Since New Mexico was part of New Spain and then Mexico before it was appropriated by the USA, I don’t feel at all bad about including this pretty strand of Navajo sterling silver beads in this grouping. Adjustable length for longer or shorter look. Measures 18″ end-to-end. Bead diameter is about 4 mm. Good for hanging a pendant. $65 USD.

#18 Spratling Jaguar pendant, copper with lapis lazuli inlay

#18 is a contemporary Spratling piece made with the traditional Spratling mold in the Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico studio where he lived and worked. It is stamped Taller Spratling. Pendant measures 3-3/4″ wide x 3″ high and the necklace is 19″ long with copper findings. $85 USD.

#19 Spratling Pre-Hispanic Monkey Pendant

#19 is marked Taller Spratling and is a contemporary studio piece from the Spratling workshop in Taxco, but made from one of the original Spratling molds. I saw the original clay figure at the museum in Tututepec, Oaxaca. This piece  copper inlaid with green turquoise. Measures 1-3/4″ x 2-1/4″ long. Put it on a chain at whatever length you prefer! $95 USD.

#20 designer sterling silver bracelet

#20 is another beauty from designer Brigitte Huet using the lost wax cast technique for sterling silver. Measures 7-1/2″ long and 1-1/4″ wide, with cut-out and feather carved motifs. $395 USD.

#21, #22, #23 Earrings

Top #21: Vintage sterling silver and pearls from Puebla, Mexico. 2″ long. $125 USD.

Middle #22: Artemio Rodriguez Taxco designer, 1-1/2″ long. $125 USD.

Bottom #23: Artemio Rodriguez Taxco designer, 1-1/2″ long. $125 USD.

#24 filigree silver and pearl necklace

SOLD. #24 is a Mazahua piece I bought at Victor Arte Popular. Delicate and beautifully made. $85 USD.

#25 Fish from Lake Patzcuaro

#25 is a collector’s piece with handmade silver beads and hand carved and stamped fishes suspended from dried red beans — all perfect. Piece is from the 70’s or 80’s. Hand-made chain and clasp. 17″ long. $395 USD.

#26 Eagle Pendant

#26 Eagle Pendant back

SOLD. #26 is sterling silver made in the lost wax cast technique by Brigitte Huet. Measures 4″ long x 1-1/2″ wide. $195.

This is probably enough to keep you interested for a while!

Remember, please make your orders as soon as possible. I will need to send invoices and receive funds by Wednesday, June 20, 2018, to complete our transaction and get your pieces in the mail to you before I leave North Carolina.

Thank you very much for your support.

Norma

Just In Time for Mother’s Day: Turquoise and Coral Jewelry

I’m in SoCal at the moment and returning to North Carolina tomorrow morning. My sister and I went to a fundraising event on Saturday night and bought these two beautiful pieces of jewelry in a moment of wanting to support the organization. We both realized there is no morning after pill to remedy a purchase we did not need! So, I am offering these two pieces for sale.

The prices are what we paid for them. We will accept any reasonable offer and get them to you in time for Mother’s Day at a fixed mailing cost of $10 added to the purchase price.

Tell me which one you want by email.    Tell me your price and your mailing address. I will send you a PayPal invoice. I’ll ship two-day priority USPS.

List price: $75 USD. Tibetan Inlaid Turquoise & Coral Earrings, 3-1/2″ long

List Price: $295. Graduated Natural Turquoise collar with silver agate accent bead, 17″ long including clasp.

Mexico Jewelry Collectible and Vintage Pop-Up Sale

This Pop-Up, Mash-Up Sale features collectible Mexican sterling silver necklaces, earrings and bracelets. They are from a California collector I am representing. All pieces are handcrafted and personally selected for quality and beauty. Many are vintage or close-to-it!

Perhaps there is something here that strikes your fancy.

How to buy: Each piece is numbered and priced.  Send me an email (normadotschaferaticlouddotcom). Include:

  1. The number of the piece you want.
  2. Your name, mailing address and zip code

I will send you a PayPal invoice and add the mailing cost to your bill. I will mail within 48 hours to the USA or Canada.

#1. Patzcuaro, Michoacan necklace. Vintage. Rare. Substantial. 17″ long. $425 USD

#1A. Handmade sterling silver chain with sturdy hook clasp

#1B. 15mm sterling silver pearls. 11 fishes, each 1-1/2″ long, dangle from red beans

#2. Vintage turquoise and sterling silver bracelet 7″ long, Mexico, stamped. $125 USD

SOLD. #3. Flexible 17″ solid sterling silver collar sits comfortably on neck, a showpiece, intricately carved, easy to wear. $195 USD

#3A. Substantial, not heavy to wear, marked sterling Mexico

#4 (left) Famous Oaxaca designer Kandart earrings, 2-1/4″ long, Ask for price.              #5 is SOLD. (right) Fish Earrings, 2-1/4″ long, $125. Both 925 sterling.

#6. Mazahua, State of Mexico, Garnet & Coral Love Birds. 3-1/2″ long. $165 USD.

SOLD. #7, Oaxaca-New York designer Elena Solow designed these about 10 years ago. Green and chartreuse glass, with sterling silver. $135 USD.

SOLD. #8. Friday Kahlo Style, smaller version, 1-1/2″ wide x 2-1/2″ long. Sterling. $185 USD

#9. Oaxaca designer Kandart sterling silver necklace. Ask for price.

#9 is a solid sterling silver necklace that rests comfortably on the collar-bone. Each piece is hand-made using the ancient lost-wax casting technique preferred by the ancient Maya and Mixtec people who were skilled in jewelry making. The piece is rare and no longer being made. The silversmiths returned to their native France and are creating other unique pieces. Please send me an email if you are interested in acquiring this stunning expression of Mexico of wearable art.

 

Mexico Mash Up Today– Silver Jewelry and Alebrijes for Sale

I’m representing a California collector who wants to divest. We are starting today with alebrijes, those whimsical copal wood carved and brightly painted figures from San Martin Tilcajete, Oaxaca. Plus, a grouping of four bracelets — cuffs and bangles. Three gorgeous pair of sterling earrings. More to come as the week unfolds.

How to buy: send me an email with the Number of the Piece you want, along with your address, including Zip Code. I will ship to the USA and Canada. I will then send you an invoice for the cost of the piece plus the shipping charge and promise to get it out to you pronto!

1. Howling Coyote, 11×11-1/2″. Signed Candido Perez, San Martin Tilcajete. $125

#2. Piano-Playing Coyote (left), 10-1/2×3″, signed Miguel Diaz, $125 and #3. Catrina, ceramic, 8-1/2×3″, $95

SOLD. #4. Gold-plate gemstone bangles, set of 3, adjustable, carnelian, lapis, onyx (1 carnelian stone missing), $35

#5. 10 bangles, sterling silver, alpaca + white, black, turquoise enamel, 2-1/2″ inside diameter, $120

#6. Vintage Sterling Bubble Cuff (L), adjustable, $135 and #7 Sterling Ball Cuff, marked Stefano 925, $135, adjustable

SOLD. #8. Federico Jimenez pitcher earrings with turquoise, Frida Style. $275

Federico Jimenez mark, sterling silver, #8 Frida Style

#9 detail, Melesio Rodriguez earrings, $150

#10, Oaxaca sterling filigree by designer Mario Perez, $225