MT068  Vintage Margot de Taxco sterling silver, red, black, yellow, aqua, purple and bright green enamel necklace and earrings; circa-1955 to 1978
Origin:  Taxco, Mexico
Dimensions: 
     Necklace – 16"; center panel 2.75" at widest x 1.63" center height; 63.7 gm
     Screwback earrings – 2.18" x 1.18"; 24.9 gm
Condition:  Excellent – under magnification, no missing enamel.  Additional photos available.
Provenance:  To be published in Penny Morrill’s upcoming book on Margot van Voorhies Carr – Margot de Taxco
Price:  $5,500.00

Extraordinary work combining lustrous hues of red, deep purple, bright yellow and brilliant sky blue intertwining in an abstract “Aztec Butterfly” motif that closely resembles the design on an ancient flat stamp from Azcapotzalco.  This spectacular demi-parure is featured as Plate XVI-4 in Morrill and Berk’s seminal Mexican Silver, page 167.  The Butterfly (Paplotl) was one of the most frequently depicted symbols in Pre-Columbian art; the cocoons of one native species, the Madrone caterpillar, were even used to make paper for ancient Codex.  Xochiquetzal was the butterfly goddess of love, flowers and fire.  A lover of beauty, she was revered as a protectress of artists, painters, hand-craft workers and courtesans.  With its intense and unconventional combination of colors, Margot’s exotic enamel set honors the bohemian free spirit of all who love art and beauty.