Help please identifying mexican/aztec mask silver/possibly jade brooch

Hi
I was hoping someone could help me identify this brooch. It is an old family piece. Appears to be handmade, sterling silver beautifully designed silver frame set with a green stone (jade or maybe green onyx?). The stone has a crudely carved mask (mayan/aztec god?).

The back is solid and the only mark I can find is what appears to be a stamp which, from what I can make out says "Mexico". The closure looks to be a simple "c" clasp.

It is fairly large and a beautiful piece.

Any help regarding era/age or other info. would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Your Mayan mask appears to be preEagle which would be 20s-40s and my totally gut feeling is that it’s from the later end. They’re wonderful tourist pieces which are still made today. I am not a jeweler so wait for Holly and others to identify the stone but most of the ones Ive seen are dyed onyx. They were also made in glass (Yours is stone). The color is supposed to represent jadite which was sacred to the ancient Mayan kings. I believe the true Mexican jadite was sourced in Guatemala but again, let others identify the stone.

 

Is the "Mexico" stamp inverted somehow, or has the photo of the back been flipped? Or is it just me?

 

that's a rather poor carving.......... imo.

 

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Agree which is why I think it’s a later “early” piece. Definitely tourist but has age and IMO is funky and fun but I love that stuff.

 

Hi it's not you. I think it is inverted. I had a hard time reading it.

 

It is not marked for silver, have you had it tested? It could be alpaca especially with the, sorry to say, poor quality stone. My feeling is it is a inexpensive tourist piece based on the stone and the lack of quality on the hinge and clasp.

I am sorry to say this, and I apologize if you are unhappy, it’s JMHO

 

Such a valid point Marie and so glad you pointed it out. I was so busy looking for an Eagle stamp in that bad stamping that I completely missed the lack of a silver stamp but it may or may not be alpaca and agree that it must be tested should mayart ever sell it or just want to know. When they said “sterling” I just went with it but agree that traditionally Mexican silver is purity stamped. And, alpaca is usually stamped but that’s certainly not to say that just like today, there weren’t people trying to deceive tourists.
Apologies for not catching that.

 

Thank you for pointing that out. Please don't apologize I was thinking same thing and I truly appreciate your help. I do have another silver brooch from Mexico which I believe is authentic. I will post a photo shortly and would love your input. Thank you again.

 

Thank everyone for their input. I have another silver pin from Mexico. This one is marked "Silver Mexico" which I hope you can see from the photos. I do have a loupe and was able to read the mark. I have seen a few others similar to this style and subject (man and cactus) but have not found this exact piece. Any info is welcome. Thanks!

 

A nice little sterling souvenir pin, I see them once in a while. Not very special but cute