Featured Recognize this Taxco artist?

Discussion in 'Jewelry' started by sassafras, Dec 7, 2023.

  1. sassafras

    sassafras Well-Known Member

    I have always thought that this was a Los Ballesteros piece. I came across it again today while sorting the dark depths of the jewelry hoard and realized it isn't marked as Los Ballesteros. Is anyone familiar with who the "JMP" mark belongs to? The first set of markings are on the pendant and the second are on the chain.

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  2. Roaring20s

    Roaring20s Well-Known Member

    My searching has found jewelry with JMP or MCE, but not both on the same piece. No names have come up with either set of initials.

    It's a fabulous Deer Dancer mask!
     
  3. Debora

    Debora Well-Known Member

  4. Roaring20s

    Roaring20s Well-Known Member

    Date range ...
    "In 1948 the Government of Mexico promoted the reintroduction of the "eagle mark" to identify the manufacturers of silver items. The "eagle" was stamped with a number associated to a silver manufacturing company. This system was unsuccessful, eagle stamps were misused or "loaned" to more than one artist of maker and was abandoned in the 1980s."
    https://www.silvercollection.it/mexicosilvermarks.html

    Since there are also two eagle marks, I'm now guessing that one set of marks are on the deer, and the other on the chain. (OP has noted this already.)
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2023
  5. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    Roaring20s-"It's a fabulous Deer Dancer mask!"[/QUOTE] -Agree,it's also got a Wiccan feel about it,which I guess makes sense both being nature religions.
    Indeed a wonderful piece.
     
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  6. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    The eagles were used between about 1948 and 1978. Some were associated with only one country, and some with an entire region.
     
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  7. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Gorgeous, sass. And yes, a Yaqui deer dancer. The Yaqui live in Sonora, Mexico, and in Arizona.
    The head is tiger's eye. Are the antlers enameled?

    A 980 fineness means it is likely an older piece. My guess is 1950s or early 60s.
    JMP is known as a mark, but Hougart hasn't identified the maker. In Hougart's book JMP is linked with eagle 18 though, not 15 like yours.
    When Mexico introduced the tax registration marks in 1980, JMP's registration mark was TN-71, which means they are/were a Taxco maker.

    The NCE mark on the chain isn't in Hougart.
     
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  8. sassafras

    sassafras Well-Known Member

    Thanks, AJ! The antlers look like they are enameled with a thick layer of clear "resin" over the top. Under a loupe, I did find a very tiny bubble.
     
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