Featured Thrift Find - Los Castillo "Metals Castillo" brass/married metals plate; Can I polish dull front?

I found this Los Castillo brass/mixed metal plate at my local thrift store yesterday & when I googled it I almost dropped it at the prices I saw!

One interesting thing - I saw many with different triangle shaped designs, but only 1 other with the striped(is that what I should call it - or geometrical shapes?) design like mine - but when I clicked on the link to see it on eBay, it took me to eBay's home page with a message that said "We've looked everywhere but can't find it"?

Can anyone tell me more about it? Is it as rare as it appears with the stripe design?

Some of the ones I looked at said brass and silver - what is mine made of?

The front is a lot duller than the back - I wanted to polish it but at least knew enough to ask here first before I did! Is it OK or should I leave it as is?

The plate measures 11.5" across

Thank you for any information.

 

Los Castillo did make items in silver, but they included the right silver marks which yours does not.

Without marking I can't say what it's made of. https://www.925-1000.com/mx_castillo_marks.html

 

Thanks - funny so few with this type of design, right?

 

I don't know.

 

Here's one that sold on Ebay that sold for $175, but this one is much smaller and obviously has condition issues. I think you scored.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/264479266663?hash=item3d94315767:g:in4AAOSwyhVdjYi9&nma=true&si=WIWKKTzkPSxqxN2wa02cfgR%2BT0E%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

Good size. Good condition. I wouldn't touch it. Let the buyer polish to his/her heart's content. I'd call motif "a geometric design inspired by Mesoamerican culture" but that's awkward and someone else may have a better way to say. I'd expect it to be copper with brass and silver detailing. But since it's unmarked for silver and the "silver" is untarnished... Perhaps it's aluminum. The words under circular mark are "Metales Castillo" or "Castillo Metals."

Debora

 

I see on internet that this type of work from Los Castillos is described as nothing more than "mixed metals."

https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/d...d-mexico-mixed-metal-dish-bowl/id-f_24308202/

Debora

 

Thank you. And I agreed I scored - $19.95 !

 

I saw - and liked - metal marriage!

 

The silver color metal might be "alpaca silver" which is a combination of metals formed to create a faux silver metal. This metal is also known as German silver or nickel silver and is made up of nickel, copper, tin and zinc. Alpaca silver tone metal is often used to make inexpensive Mexican jewelry and usually marked as such.

 

Looks like copper,brass and silver. There is no reason it would have a precious metal stamp on it.

 

I'd think it would be silver too. The natural choice and wasn't a terribly expensive material in México at the time. I see internet sellers won't go out on a limb though.

Ah... this is helpful. "This dramatic piece is a fused mixed metal Castillo invented called Metales Casadas. It has sterling, and copper fused in the fish with a brass background."

https://www.rubylane.com/item/10615...o-Sailfish-Tray-Trophy-17?search=1&t=898fc9eb

Debora

 

JMHO.
don't touch, don't even look at it. agree with Pat about possibly Alpacca, but it could still be partly an old style silver-wash.
very nice and a real vintage item.

 

From El arte popular de México, a 1979 guide...

PLATERIA Y ORFERERIA La riqueza minera de la ciudad de Taxco ya era notable en los tiempos prehispánicos , figurando en ... En ella se elaboran las piezas a base de metales " casados " ( cobre , latón y plata ) ya sea en acabados mate o ...

Mixed metals or metales casados is defined as copper, brass and silver.

Debora

 

IMHO: Here's where we get into semantics. Mixed metals are known as alloys that do not chemically combine. The metals may be in various proportions. Sterling silver, as you know, is an alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% another metal, which is usually copper. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc of various proportions depending on the use. The label states the item is of mixed metals....... For me, that would not rule out alpaca silver as it already has the alloy brass. There is a lot to read between the lines. Just saying.

 

Great piece - if you polish it I will definitely slap you.

 

Mixed metals is a translation of the Spanish technique developed by the Castillos which is "married metals." It doesn't refer to their composition but the way they are joined together.

Debora

 

The metals are just soldered together,hard to say when and who developed the technique.

 

"Los Castillo pioneered the 'married metals or metales casados technique, which was discontinued around 1970 as too labor intensive or costly to produce."

Debora

 

The Japanese were using the technique in the 1800's,I don't remember the technique term at the moment.