Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Maker's Marks

MEXICAN SILVERSMITH'S MARKS

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Above is a sampling of Mexican silver purity marks ranging from ca.1900 to the 1970's. The "Mexico Silver" or "Silver Made in Mexico" marks are seen on pieces from the 1920's through mid 1940's, their silver standard varies, but is commonly above .925 purity.
The following number marks indicate silver purity in a percentage of 1000ths. The intaglio "900" mark is found on work dating from the turn of the century until the 1920's. The intaglio marks "980, 960, 940 & 925" are usually from the mid 1930's to the mid 1940's. The incuse mark "970" was the favorite standard of Antonio Pineda. Most work from ca.1950 onwards is stamped "Sterling" or with an incuse "925" stamp.
The "Eagle" form marks to the right were instituted by the Mexican government in 1948. The first example (delineated) was used until ca.1955, the second example (silhouetted) until the late 1960's or early 1970's. The number on the eagle's chest indicates either the city of assay or an individual maker. (eg. Eagle stamp #1 was for Mexico City, stamp #3 was for Taxco, stamp #16 was registered to Margot). There are many variations and exceptions, the above info just provides a general framework to what was a relatively loose system.
• • •
About 1979, the eagle system was put to rest and replaced by a new letter/number mark to indicate the silversmith and guarantee sterling standard.
The first letter indicates location, and there are few in use, those most commonly seen are: T, M, G & C
In this example the T is for Taxco - others are M for Mexico City, G is probably Guadalajara and C most likely Cuernavaca.
The second letter indicates the first initial of the last name of the silversmith, in our example it is C.
The number indicates that he is the 45th smith, with a name beginning with C, to register a mark in his city's assay office.
So... this example, TC - 45, tells us that the item on which it is stamped, was made by a smith with initial C sometime after 1979 in the city of Taxco. Generally that is all that can be derived from these marks, Unfortunately, there is no list that matches the letters and numbers to silversmith's names and there are probably less than 15 of these identified. Our example happens to be the mark of Antonio Castillo, one of the founders of Los Castillo and it is one of the very few known.
• • •
Individual vintage Maker's Marks are illustrated below.
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Hector Aguilar
Taxco

Adan Alvarado
Taxco

Antonio Coll Maroto
Mexico City
ca.1945-1957 ~ Primarily holloware

Jose Anton


Antonio Pineda
Taxco

Los Ballesteros
Iguala & Taxco
Left: Rare, early mark.
Right: Later, more commonly seen mark.

Carmen Beckmann


Bernice Goodspeed
Taxco

Los Castillo
Taxco

Unknown ca.1930's
Antonio Castillo has confirmed that
this is NOT his mark.


Chato Castillo (attributed)
Taxco

Pedro Castillo
Taxco

Conquistador
Mexico City

Fred Davis
Mexico City

I. De La Serna


Damaso Gallegos
Taxco

Hubert Harmon
Taxco

Victor Jaimez
Taxco
smith for Emma & Miguel

Jose Luis Flores
Taxco
Worked for Spratling and independently, later a smith for Emma & Miguel.

J. Flores
Taxco
Thought to be the independent mark of Jose Luis Flores.

J. Veles
Taxco

La Cucaracha
Taxco
Silver store 1930's-1950's

Enrique Ledesma
Taxco

Maciel
Mexico City

Margot Van Vorhees Carr
Taxco


Ysidro Garcia
Shop Name - Maricela

Taxco

Matilda Poulat
Mexico City

Emma Melendez
Taxco

Miguel Melendez
Taxco

Rafael Melendez
Taxco

Miguel Garcia
Taxco

Artemio Navarrette
Taxco

Abraham Paz
Mexico City
Silversmith and designer for Fred Davis and also worked independently.

Miguel Pineda
Taxco

Stella Popowski
Taxco
Designer for AEM

Melicio Rodriguez
Taxco
worked at Rancho Alegre

Reveriano & Maria Castillo
Taxco

Francisco Rivera
Taxco

Juvento Lopez Reyes
Taxco

Erika Hult de Corral
Taxco & Puerto Vallarta

Salvador Teran
Taxco

Sanborns
Mexico City

Sigfredo Pineda
"SIGI"
Taxco

William Spratling
Taxco
Key to Spratling Maker's Marks

Tane
Mexico City

Ana Nunez Brilanti
"Victoria"
Taxco



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