TX010 – Vintage Taxco silver “Armadillo” set, circa – 1930’s to 1948 (pre-“eagle”); SOLD
Origin:  Taxco, Mexico
Dimensions:  Necklace – 15.25” L; center panel 1.25” H; smallest panel 1” H; 70.9 gm
Bracelet – 1.63” H center panel; inner circumference excluding gap 5.75”; gap .88” W; 69.4 gm
Earrings – 1” diameter; screwbacks; combined weight 15 gm
Condition:  Excellent
Hallmarks: “TAXCO” on all pieces.  No silver content mark.  Oxidation evidence indicates silver content less than .925/sterling and suggests a range between .800 and .900 which were common silver alloy mixtures for jewelry of that era. 
Provenance:  Oral history dates set as pre-1948 and very likely the late 1930’s.  Previous owner was the companion of a leading member of academia and traveled with him to many parts of the world.  This set was purchased on one of those trips.
 
We couldn’t resist acquiring this set, a very early rendition of Valentin Vidaurreta’s celebrated “Armadillo” design made famous by Hector Aguilar.  Vidaurreta began designing in 1931 for Frederick W. Davis while in Mexico City and returned to Taxco in 1948.  The provenance of this unsigned set dates its era of manufacture to the earliest years of Vidaurreta’s design.  While Vidaurreta didn’t start working for Hector Aguilar until 1948, prior to that date he supplied designs to him and he continued doing so until the 1950’s.

This set is faithful to Aguilar’s high standard of construction.  The only variance in the design is the panels on the necklace are smaller than Aguilar’s more heroic sized rendition.  The matching cuff bracelet has a greater weight than Manuel Altamirano’s version and is a pleasure to wear.

It is rare to find an intact Armadillo set.  Here’s a chance to own one of the truly great designs to come out of Taxco, at a fraction of the cost of a signed version but with every bit of the heritage of Taxco’s finest artistry.