AM424.   This is a great, heavy, sterling silver bracelet made in the fifties in Mexico.  The pendants all clunk together when worn and ring like bells.  This is very solidly made with a very strong thick bracelet and a good clasp.  The bracelet is just under 7 1/4 inches long when shut.  The sombrero is 1 1/4 inches in diameter and the Mayan "calendar" is 1 1/8 inch across.  Ones this large and heavy were only made for a short time.  Now they are smaller, thinner silver, and even though made of silver, are plated to make them shine more.  I like the good old silver instead.    $425.US.
AM428.   This is a curious preColumbian stone piece that I don't have an explanation for yet.  It is from the collection of Dr. Allen Heflin acquired in Mexico but I don't have a description for it.  The pendant is a little over 1 5/8 inches long and has two holes piercing it.  At one end of the pendant is a tiny carving which looks like a miniscule animal.  A wedge is cut out of one side like an apple slice.  Curious.   $145.US.  
AM429.    Here are two strands which are a mix of cultures.  These two Tairona preColumbian nose ornaments were once covered with gold.  Now the  bronze castings show a green oxidization instead.  They have been casually wired onto strands of ancient beads - carnelians cut in India and traded into North Africa and some ancient blue Roman glass beads as well.  It might be best to take of the preColumbian pieces and use them on different projects than the beads.  A confusion of cultures, but this is how I bought the pieces.  Strand #1 is 26 inches long with a nose piece a little over an inch wide.  Strand #2 is 28 inches long with a nose piece 1 1/2 inches wide at the widest.  $295.US/each strand.  
   AM438.   Here is a curious figure carved out of a green stone with some bright jade like colours showing within it.  The character is 1 5/16 inches tall and a fairly flat slab 5/16 inch thick.  The back is quite plain.  The 21 inch long necklace is made of preColumbian beads (and pendant) from Peru - including green and silver spacers and long oval silver beads.  $725.US.
   AM439.   This shell fish pendant from Peru is really nicely shaped - almost abstract and sculptural. He has quite jagged teeth, a nose and an eye.  The piece is 2 1/4 inches long and strung with a small group of carnelian beads with tiny green stone heishi stype beads.  On one side is a carved black stone hand, and on the other is a 3-dimensional stone bird looking like a duck.   19 inch long necklace strung with new chain and clasp.  $385.US.
   AM441.   These are the sweetest four carved stone fish (1 inch long) strung onto nicely coloured spondylus beads.  They hang there like fish strung to a line to dry...  The necklace is 18 inches long with a new clasp.   $380.US.
   AM442.   Here is another sweetie - a dog-like creature (it is a Peruvian animal from preColumbian days) carved of spondylus shell.  It is 1 1/4 inches side and strung onto  23 inch strand of beads.  The beads are made of silver, spondylus, stone, and closed with a modern clasp.   $625.US.
   AM443.   This delicate and graceful necklace is made up of preColumbian components from Peru.  Part of it has a double strand which is quite unusual now but was done fairly often in preColumbian days.  It is a 24 inch long necklace with silver, crystal, bright green stone, spondylus with silver tweezers as a pendant, cut like a fish.  Just excellent.  It has a modern clasp.   $850.US.
   AM444.   Small vintage bag (6 by 6 inches) with 36 inch long cord and tassles - from South America.   $45.US.
   AM445.   Here is a genuine vintage front section of a Kuna Indian (San Blas Islands, Panama) blouse (this piece was not made for tourism but was actually a part of a top).  The front part is sewn with layers upon layers of fabric, each cut to show other colours beneath.  It is sewn into the front and back of a short sleeved blouse.  The sleeves and other parts have been removed from this so it could lay nicely on an appropriately coloured background in a frame for display.  I have two at home and just love them.  This piece is 20 1/2 inches wide and 13 1/2 inches tall.  It has been in a collection for quite a long time.   $75.US.
   AM446.   Silver earrings from Oaxaco with glass beads mimicking the colour of coral.   The earrings are 2 3/4 inches tall from top to bottom.  It looks like bunches of berries with their leaves.   $125.US.
  AM449.   This is a very attractive vintage shawl pin from Peru or Bolivia or somewhere close by.  I am not quite sure what kind of animal the monkey is riding on - a dog?  This is a cast piece soldered onto the hammered stick pin.  It has a nice winding to it, and a hook behind the animal's head so that when you pin it in, it will stay in place.  The pin is made of a mix of metals which polishes up nicely.  It has four loops for hanging beads or pendants from.  The originals have disappeared over the years...  The pin is 5 inches long and quite unique.   $145.US.
  AM450.   I had a P.E.I. bracelet above made by the same manufacturer in the same configuration with the snap closing.  I love this closing and wish that I could buy snaps like this to use myself.  It is a firm and attractive closure.  The bracelet is made of base metal but in good strong relief patterns which portray scenic places in Vancouver, Canada.  The first image is the BC flag, then City Hall, Prospect Point, Lion's Bridge Gate, the Hollow Tree which is making the news right now as it is becoming in danger of collapse, and the coat of arms.  When closed the bracelet is slightly over 7 inches long.   $65.US.
  AM451.   I bought this rooster milagro in Mexico.  It is hand cut and hammered so had to be made with a smooth hand.  From head to tail the silver piece is 1 3/4 inches long.  It would have been used to send hopes for either a good poultry season or for a win in a cockfight.  I don't personally support fights between either people or animals but it is part of the culture in the country.  I wish I had two so they would make earrings, but this is the only one that I found.   $28.US.
  AM452.   This is a trememdous, amazing group of large preColumbian carnelian pendants from the Tairona of Colombia.  This is expensive because of their rarity.  the largest pendant in the center is 1 9/16 inches long and 5/8 inch across at its base.  The next largest pieces are 1 3/8 inches long.  There are also barrel beads, oval beads, bullet beads and smaller pendants.  It is a very good collection.  The ready to wear necklace is only 14 1/2 inches long.  It can be increased in length with the addition of some extra beads.  Luckily it fits me nicely sitting right at the base of my neck.  When heavy necklaces sit so close their weight is distributed evenly and I find them very comfortable.   $1950.US.
  AM453.   The carnelian and stone beads at the front of this necklace are Tairona from Colombia.  They measure 7 1/4 inches and include 7 attractive pendants.  I do like the mix of colours here.  The entire ready to wear necklace is  19 inches long.  The silver beads are from a totally different culture but are close in shape to beads that were made in the preColumbian period in the same area.  These are beads from Ethiopia though...  $350.US for the necklace.
  AM461.   I like the feel of tools in my hand.  They often sit nicely in my palm and since they have been used so much they fit well.  This cuts or scraps.  It is preColumbian from Mexico, it is small, just 1 3/4 inches tall and has a nice smooth blade to it.   $60.US.
  AM462.   This is a pretty goofy looking little character.  It is a preColumbian pendant with a stringing hole carved into a lump on the top of his head.  The pendant including stringing hole is 1 5/8 inches tall.  It is nicely 3-dimensional and has the impression of big bright eyes and a smile.  $85.US.   (sold)
  AM463.   I like holding this preColumbian stone piece in my hand - it is shaped like a handle but is lightly carved into the form of a man.  Everything is suble about it, the eyes and mouth, the hands extending downwards, the waist, the division of the legs...  it feels very much like a piece of a long history.  This is 4 inches tall and very rounded.   $125.US.
  AM466.    This is a pretty rough preColumbian necklace of stone beads from Guerrero, Mexico.  There are 22 inches of beads suspending a shell pendant 1 1/2 inches across.    $145.US.
  AM467.   Most of these preColumbian beads are stone from the area of the state of Mexico.  There are a few pottery spindle whorls though.  It is a nice mix with a stone bead pendant in the middle.  The necklace measures 24 inches long.   $255.US.
  AM468.   Here are some pale rough stone preColumbian beads from the state of Mexico.  The beads include volcanic ones.  The strand is 23 inches long and at a bargain price.   $135.US.
  AM469.   This is a 24 inch long strand of preColumbian clay beads.  There are round beads with stripes circling them in dots as well as bird shaped beads.  The round beads average 3/4 to 7/8 inch in diameter.  The birds average 1 1/4 inches from end of beak to end of tail.  One bird has its head missing but the others are in quite good condition.  It is always remarkable how clay beads like these can last as long as they do.  $250.US.
  AM471.   This is a 15 inch long strand of glossy greenstone preColumbian beads from the area of the state of Guerrero.  They have a good shade of green and are ready to become a necklace.   $255.US.
  AM472.   This strand of beads is slightly over 15 inches long.  These are preColumbian greenstone beads coming out of the state of Guerrero.  A number and nice and glossy...  $250.US.
  AM473.   Here is a true treasure and collectors item.  This is a capote de paseo for a Mexican matador.  It is a cloak that is worn over one shoulder while the other is tucked under the opposite arm.  The Virgin of Guadalupe is embroidered there to protect the matador from harm.  You might typically see photos of the very fancy, very ornate capotes of the top matadors of the country.  This instead was made for a matador from a smaller pueblo with a lot of local love within it.  This is totally made by hand - I couldn't find a single machine stitch anywhere on it so the work is quite immense.  There are spangles and all kinds of flourishes in gold against a deep sea green/blue.  The embroidered flowers stand out beautifully and the Virgin at 7 1/2 inches tall is very impressive.  The capote when lying on my floor stretches 53 inches across from one side to the other.  The widest part is 21 inches high.  If you would like to see how they are worn you can google "capote de paseo" under "images".  A few can be found on flickr.com as well.  This is a vintage piece and the lining has some bleaching, some spots and some irregularities on it.  The outside has a couple of spots that I imagine could be reasonably cleaned.  It would look quite wonderful hanging on the wall.    $375.US.
  AM474.   I usually see these Mexican religious boxes made in a much clumsier way with base metals.  This instead is delicate, beautiful, nicely detailed, and made of sterling grade silver.  The box is 3 7/8 inches tall and 2 3/4 inches wide when closed.  It stands 3/8 inch thick.  The doors open easily to reveal the Madonna and child.  There is a hook on the pack so that it could be fastened on a wall or at an altar.  $250.US.
  AM476.   I have four pendants here from Mexico.  Some are decorated on both sides, and others just on the one side.  They are all sterling grade silver and religious in nature.  #4 is 1 inch across in diameter.  $22.US/each pendant
  AM478.   This is a good sized Yalalag cross from the area of Oaxaco.  It is 6 1/2 inches tall and quite heavy.  This is made of mixed metals with some bits of silver but mostly brass.  It is very impressive.  $110.US.
  AM479.   This is a vintage paperweight which I bought in a market in Mexico City.  It is made of glass so quite heavy.  It had felt on the bottom but much of that is worn off.  It could easily be replaced.  The image inside is of the madonna with the baby, and it has a romantic old look to it which I like very much.  This measures 3 inches in diameter and is 1 1/2 inches tall.   $75.US.
  AM480.   This is a very beautifully made, cast sterling silver pin.  This is a vintage piece, over 50 years old.  There was once another leaf at the bottom of the design but it has broken off years ago.  The pin is normally pushed through a shawl or sweater.  It has a pin added to the back so that it can be fastened without a worry of falling out and being lost.  Birds are important in Mexican art often for their air of romance.  The pin is 4 7/8 inches long and the wings of the bird are truly 3-D, made individually which is quite unusual.   $135.US.
  AM481.   I was pleased to find such a lovely and artistic pendant, carved in a preColumbian style but newly made.  The stone is a correct type and the image is very close to original ones that I have seen in museums.  The face pendant is just under 2 inches tall.  The necklace itself has true preColumbian stone beads mixed with modern brass ones - 24 1/2 inches long   $345.US.
  AM482.   This is a precious little sterling silver vintage pendant.  The monkey is riding on a deer and must be expressing some curious story.  The pin is 1 1/4 inches tall.  $110.US.
  AM483.   This is a vintage ring, copying preColumbian designs.  It could have been from a museum store in the days that they still sold items of excellent quality - sterling silver which was once coloured gold, but most of that has worn off.  The ring is a size 7.5.   $125.US.
  AM484.   This is a little token which was once a pendant but the loop at the top has been broken off.  I was charmed by it as the image on the front is of a heart with a dagger in it and flowers rising from above.  It says "EL CORAZON DE MARIA SMA."  On the other side a crucifix is being carried by a man on his knees.  It says "EL SENOR DE TEPACZINGO."  This is a tiny piece measuring 11/16 inch across.  $22.US.
  AM485.  This antique carving of a crest is carefully made out of horn and would normally be used as a brooch.  It has no way of fastening it though.  It is lightly patterned to emphasize the images, and quite smooth and soft feeling.  It could be turned into a pendant or into a brooch by adding a back to it or it could be used as some type of ornamental decoration.  The piece is 2 3/8 inches tall and 1 3/4 inches wide.  A very similar one is shown on page 143 of "Mexican Jewelry" by Davis and Pack - made in Veracruz, Mexico.  $50.US.   (sold)
  AM486.  

  AM487.   Here is an impressive gold (I can't give you an accurate percentage) pendant which originated in the area of Costa Rica and Panama before they existed.  You can view gold pieces in the Costa Rica gold museum to compare this with varieties of the same bird pendant that they have there.  This is a bird that has had repairs but they don't detract from its attractiveness.  Both wings have been repaired as has the tail.  From behind you can see where the repairs were made but this is typical of ancient gold pieces as they have been buried and easily broken.  The gleaming gold bird has a snake in its mouth which it holds with its beaks and with its claws.  The piece is 2 3/8 inches wide at the wings and 2 7/8 from top to bottom.  The piece is strung with greenstone beads from Mexico as well as a few shell beads.  The greenstone is a good colour with some quite bright ones reminding me of jade included.  I wish that I had more delicate beads to string it with but wanting to keep the entire piece in the same time zone I didn't have another substitute.  This is a remarkable and attractive piece.   $2250.US.  
  AM488.   This 3/4 inch long greenstone pendant is from Guerrero Mexico.  It has a stringing hole in the back and is ready to add to a necklace.  $65.US.
  AM489.   Here is a very interesting pendant bought in the S(#1 & #5 aretate of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.  It look like a seated person although when suspended it hangs with the stringing holes at the top and the longest side of the pendant making a horizontal line.  The piece measures 3 inches along the longest side.  This is a very curious piece.  I had a knowledgeable customer tell me this:  "...this is a broken Mezcala anthropomorphic carving, it would normally have legs (you can see one leg) with the head at top.  The piece was drilled at one time in order to make it a pendant.  Mezcala Culture, Guerrerro, Mexico, roughly 200 BC."   I always appreciate knowledge being passed on.    $145.US.
  AM491.   Here are some bargain preColumbian stone & pottery necklaces.  They are a rather rusty earth colour but can be washed to get a better colour.  They are irregular shapes and useful for a variety of projects.   $95.US/each strand.
  AM492.  

Here are some bargain preColumbian stone & pottery necklaces.  They are a rather rusty earth colour but can be washed to get a better colour.  They are irregular shapes and useful for a variety of projects.   $95.US/each strand.  
  AM493.   These earrings are great fun.  I bought a number of key chains featuring a coffee can from the Cafe Colon shop in Xalapa, Veracruz - then used sterling silver loops and earwires and turned them into earrings.  The 7/8 inch tall cans (1 5/8 inches from top of hoop to bottom of can) are just perfect in detail showing a local woman with a cup of coffee at the front.  The cans say:  "Cafe Colon - genuino Coatepec" , "desde 1963 excellencia en cafe",  "100% Arabica",  "hecho en Mexico" as well as the address and phone/fax numbers of the main shop in Xalapa.  This is actually very delicious coffee and the place is famous in the area.  These are a perfect gift for any coffee lovers...   $26.US/each pair
  AM494.   This is an 8 reale bronze coin from Mexico, dating at 1813.  It has a rather delicate counterstamp on it adding to its history.  I don't know the story of the coin - it will require research by the new owner.  It measures 1 1/2 inches across.   $65.US.
  AM495.   Here is a group of trade tokens from Mexico - mostly dating to the 1800s.  The tokens are made of bronze, hand stamped, and the one to the left measures slightly over 1 1/8 inches across.  Landowners or hacienda owners would pay their workers with tokens, then the tokens would be used in the hacienda owners' stores to buy their necessities.  The tokens were all very specific to particular properties and could not be used in other areas.  #1 says "PROVICIONAL DEZ ...IN OCTAVO 1833" and has an image of an eagle on it.  It is plain on the other side.   #2 is unclear and seems to say "...NISTRACION DE MINAS 1855" on one side and "...S.M. DE 1/8" on the other.  (#2 is sold)   #3 says "1/8 1824" on one side and has a bunch of grapes with "B T" on the other.   #4 says "SAYULA 1/8 1830" on one side and the other side is flat.   #5  says "PUEBLA DE JALA 1833" on one side and "LUIS ...APIS 1/8" on the other.   $32.US/each trade token   #6 says "H. LA FLOR 1877" on one side and has a sculpted flower on the other - $50.US.
  AM496.   The rectanglular trade tokens average 1 3/16 inches across.  Token #1 says "COCULA 1808" on one side and "HOMERO CUARTO" on the other.   (#1 is sold)    #2 says "AMECA 1/8" on one side and "1855 T.A." on the other.   #3 has "AMECA 1/8" on one side and "1855 T.A." on the other.   #4 says "VILLA BENITO" on one side and "1/8 1825" on the other.   #5 says "VILLA DE COLIMA 1853" on one side and it has a plain back.   #6 says "UN OCTAVO 1835" on one side and "HACIENDA MUNICIPAL DE OSTOTITLAN" on the other.    $30.US/each trade token
  AM497.   

.US/each trade token  
  AM498.   There are two necklaces here made of antique black coral beads.  These were made in the Oaxaca area long before there were bans in place.  Strand #1 has long beads some of which are rectangular and others tubular.  The strand is 18 inches long and the central bead is 1 inch long.   $95.US.   Strand #2 has soft facet oval beads.  The necklace is 16 inches long

  AM499.   I have the same type of bracelet up above at AM450.  That one is from P.E.I. though and this one is for Quebec, Canada.  I think that these are all attractive having had one for Calgary in the past.  A collection of Canada would be an interesting one.  This bracelet portrays:  Quebec City 1608, Chateau Frontenac, Parliament, Porte St. Louis, La Basilique and Spencerwood.  It is 7 inches long and closes with a very tidy snap shut.  It is not silver, but silver coloured.   $65.US.
  AM500.   This is a beautiful Guatemalan necklace full of dijes.  Dijes express a part of the life of the wearer, and they are very traditional.  This is a fairly modern piece made in the last 30 or 40 years or so yet a very rare item.  The metal is not sterling silver but debased though the colour is very good.  The necklace is 29 inches long plus pendant.  The pendant is a dove like bird, 1 1/5 inches long plus hanging loop.  On the necklace are chickens, crosses, swans, geese and rabbits plus

...  The necklace is quite heavy and sits very attractively.   $245.US.   (sold)
  AM502.   What a sweet and strange little guy.  I couldn't resist him.  This sterling silver pin is a Mexico souvenir piece from the 50s or 60s.  The little boy on his burro is 2 1/4 inches tall.  His sombrero has a nice wide 3-D rim, he has an odd and peaceful look on his face and the burro strands quietly there.   $125.US.  
  AM503.   I am always looking for antique silver Yalalag crosses coming from the town close to Oaxaca.  They are very distinctive in their style.  I rarely see a jeweller's signature on this but on the bottom cross is a number 3, and below the arms of the cross "ERE".  This is 3 3/4 inches long including hanging loop.   $75.US.   (sold)
  AM504.   These Mezcala preColumbian abstract stone figures are simple but evocative.  They come from an area in the State of Guerrero close to Morelos.  There are some amazing pyramids close to there like Xochicalco.  They are much nicer in real life as one can cradle a sculpture in their hand.  These sculptures do not have stringing holes in them.  They were meant to be used more as talismans.  A cord could be tied around the figures under the heads and they could be turned into pendants.  One would have to be very careful though, that all was tied tight so that they could not fall and break.  The pieces have flat backs and are sculpted the most deeply on the sides.  Sculpture #1 is 2 3/8 inches tall - $145.US.   Sculpture #2 is 2 5/8 inches tall - $145.US.    Sculpture #3 is 1 7/8 inches tall - $135.US.
  AM507.   These are fairly rough beads but good ones.  They are preColumbian beads from Guerrero - the area close to Mexico City.  Bead #1 is flared and 1 1/4 inches across.  It is 1/2 inch tall.  $45.US.   Bead #2 is thick and dark grey.  It is 1 inch long and 7/8 inch in diameter with a good sized hole.  $40.US.   Bead #3 has a nice natural shape.  It is 1 1/8 inches long and 3/4 inch diameter at the widest.  It will sit nicely as a central bead on a necklace.   $45.US.
  AM508.   These two greenstone pendants are very polished and caught the light from the windows when I took the photo.  Pendant #1 is 1 1/4 inches tall, just under 1 inch wide and 3/4 inch thick.  The stringing hole is at the top of the back - a typical hole that goes from the top of the piece, to the top of the back so that a cord grabs the top of the back.  It is meant to represent a face but any carving has been smoothed too much to see details.  $75.US.    Pendant #2 is holed in the same way - at the top of the back.  The pendant is 1 inch long11/16 inch wide and almost 5/8 inch thick.  You have to imagine the features of the face.  $55.US.
  AM510.   There are three face pendants here, each very different from the other.  They do all come from the State of Guerrero.  Pendant #1 is a warm rounded greenstone.  It is 1 1/8 inches tall and 7/8 inch wide.  It is over 1/2 inch thick.  The face is simple with a straight mouth across and the stringing hole is at the top of the back - the hole going from the top to the back.  Very typical.   $85.US.   Pendant #2 is tiny but has a very clear face.  It is 5/8 inches tall and a nice mottled greenstone.  It has a typical hole at the top of the pendant in the back.   $45.US.   #3 has a straightfordward face - a line across as a mouth and two deep wideset eyes.  This is a mottled dark grey stone holed at the back, at the top of the back.   $40.US.
  AM511.   This is a beautiful unusual preColumbian stone pendant from the Veracruz area.  It measures 1 3/8 inches across and has two holes for stringing it with.  This is quite simple but has lots of character.   $135.US.
  AM512.   This is a 13 1/2 inch long strand of preColumbian beads from Mexico.  They could easily make the kind of necklace that Frida Kahlo would have typically worn.  Some of these beads have been very carefully shaped so that they are nicely smoothed.  The largest bead on the strand is 1 inch long and 1 1/8 inch in diameter.  The beads are all coloured in greys and creams.  Some still have surface reminders of their long burial.  I always think of when pieces were first worn and when I walk through entrances in pyramids or walk through the walls of old buildings I imagine how people were dressed and how the beads are of the same types of stones as the buildings used.   $330.US.
  AM513.   This is a very attractive strand of preColumbian beads from the Veracruz area.  There is a good variety of colours and shapes included here as the beads were found over a long period of time.  The strand is just under 19 inches long and the central pendant is a little over an inch long.  $400.US.
  AM516.   This is a very attractive 25 inch long strand of preColumbian greenstone beads from Mexico.  The colour is very good on these and the mottling gives a very attractive effect.  The central bead is flared, a little over 3/4 inches long with a diameter of 1 1/4 inches on the wider end and 15/16 inch at the narrower one.  I love looking at the stringing holes of beads like these, where you can see how they were scraped and ground open with irregular cone shaped holes.   $450.US.
  AM517.   This is a fairly perfect strand of preColumbian beads.  Most of them are greenstone, nicely shaped and polished and the strand tapers in size from the front to the back.  The black central bead is 3/4 inch wide and 1 3/8 inches in diameter.  The strand is 27 inches long and could be beautifully strung in exactly the same order of beads as it is in.  In fact if you string it as is you don't need a clasp as it can swing over the wearer's head. The dreams of the past can travel with you...   $450.US.
  AM518.   Here is a rough but interesting bunch of preColumbian stone beads from the State of Mexico.  They might be a bit awkward for making a necklace with but they are of an impressive size and type and perfect for a collector.  The large flared bead is 1 1/2 inches long, 1 1/8 inches in diameter at the narrow end and 1 7/8 inches wide at the wide one.  These are quite heavy.  Laid out it is a 13 inch strand.  $400.US.
  AM519.   I don't usually buy spoons but it this case I couldn't help it.  This is a tourist spoon, but an old one.  The spoon is 5 1/4 inches long and is covered with intriguing images.  At the top is the eagle holding a snake in its beak - symbol of Mexico.  Below that is a burro carrying bags, and below the burro is an agave plant with a man with a sac on his back making pulque.  Above him are the words:   Pulque Gatherer.  Pulque is a fermented drink made from the agave, but since it constantly ferments a true pulque cannot be bottled.  You could be wandering through a market or passing through a town and you might be offered pulque to buy from the man who made it.  There are some pulquerias as well but they are becoming rare.
Below the pulque worker is someone carrying jugs and it says above:  Water Carrier.  Below that the word MEXICO is spelled out.  On the spoon part is an illustration of a matador, a bull, two men on horses, and an audience.  Above that it says:  Bull Fight.  Engraved on the back of the spoon is:  Juarez, Old Mexico.  The spoon is sterling silver.   $145.US.
  AM522.   This collection of scrapers is from Guatemala.  #1 is 1 3/4 inches long and 1 1/4 inches at the widest.  You can compare the others to that one.  These are all smoothly finished with a good edge on them.  Numbers 1 through 4 are $68.US/each.  Number 5 is $80.US.   (#1, #2, #3 & #4 are sold)
  AM523.   I fell in love with this statue when I saw it for sale from a carver in Malinalco.  I kept walking past it and finally had to stop and buy it.  Talking with the artist I kept looking at him and then at the mask and realized it was a self portrait - so you can see the artist who created this.  His name is Gabriel Vergara, and he is from Chalmita Ocuilan in the State of Mexico.  The country is full of art from ancient to the present.  This mask is carved from wood (you can see how the back has been gouged out) and decorated with bone from a bull.  The eyes are set with pieces of shell.  The mask is 6 1/8 inches tall and 4 1/8 inches wide.  It stands out over 3 inches and has a hole to use to hang it.   $285.US.
  AM524.   Oh, the stories, the histories, the travails of the luchadores are part of life in Mexico.  In Mexico City there are a number of places to watch the wrestling (lucha libre) as well as museums dedicated to some, and restaurants owned by others.  I bought one of these bracelets for myself, and then three others for those who are interested in the luchadores but won't have the chance to stop in the city and buy one of these.  The bracelets are woven of seed beads, and close with knots and loops made from beads as well.  When closed the bracelet winds around for 6 3/4 inches.  These will be great on a bare arm in the warm weather and I am sure will cause a smile here and there...   $38.US/each bracelet.
  AM525.   San Judas Tadeo is a saint who assists in the almost impossible.  Walking in Mexico City on the 28th day of a month I saw many people, lots of them youthful, wearing t-shirts or carrying statues of San Judas.  I stopped and asked if there was a festival - no festival, but a day of blessings from San Judas.  In Mexico City there is a shrine at San Hipolito, near metro Hidalgo, in the Centro.  I bought these two necklaces there as I found them enchanting.  The plaque in the front is 4 1/4 inches tall including fringes.  The necklace part is 26 inches long.   $15.US/each necklace.
  AM526.   I bought a couple of these woven images of San Judas Tadeo.  They are 4 1/2 inches tall, and $8.US./each.
  AM527.  These are sterling silver pins from Mexico - with Aztec style illustrations.   Pin #1 is 1 1/2 inches square and has the circular Aztec calendar on it.  It also has a loop on the back so that it can be worn as a pendant.   $45.US.   Pins #2 - this pair of pins is the same size and shape 1 1/5 inches tall but both have different illustrations on them.  They look terrific worn together.  The decorative part is on a sheet of silver that stands a little above the background sheet of silver so it has a nice raised appearance.   $75.US/the pair.

  AM528.   There are three strands of beads here, each intriguing.  Strand #1 has a pottery pendant which has a face on it - you can see the sturdy nose and the fat lower lip.  The ear broke off one side many years ago.  The head is large and the legs are small and bellow the mouth is a row of holes which I think might indicate a necklace - it is a very typical image.  The beads include spondylus in a beautiful rich colour, and genuine Nuevo Cadiz blue glass beads.  The necklace is 17 inches long plus pendant.   $235.US.   Necklace #2 also has a small figure as the pendant.  He is a little more clear in real life than on the pendant and the beads that suspend him have the image of being arms.  The necklace of shell & spondylus is 17 1/2 inches long and the little man is 1 inch tall.   $235.US.   Necklace #3 has wonderful bright spondylus for its beads, in that great Peruvian colour.  The beads measure 18 inches in length with a 1 1/8 inch tall stone pendant.  I love the way that the orange beads fit into it.   $235.US.   (#3 is on hold)
  AM529.   I am uncertain as to what these shell amulets represent - some research needs to be done.  They certainly look great though winding around the 23 inch long necklace.  The amulets are a little over 1/2 inch in length and a number of them have lines across them making them look like jars to me.  The central pendant has old chips on it but that does not detract from its interest.  It simply shows its history.  The piece is 1 1/4 by 3/4 inches rectangular.  This is a very unusual and memorable necklace.   $485.US.
  AM530.   Here is a charming group of shell animals strung onto 18 inches of shell/spondylus beads.  The spotted animal (jaguar?) is 7/8 inches across.  The central bead is a rough triangle.  These are beautiful warm colours against the skin.   $235.US.
  AM531.   This strand is very unusual as the grey beads are pyrite.  Because pyrite is essentially metal/iron the 22 inch long strand has an unusually heavy weight to it.  I am told that they can be polished up, but have not tried and do like them exactly how they look now.  The metal grey is an attractive contrast with the colours of the shell.   $260.US.
  AM532.   There are two very different strands of beads here.  Necklace #1 definitely needs to be restrung as it is fishing line without a clasp.  The beads are over 22 inches long and attractive sturdy flat rectangles.  They had been buried and show the signs of time underground.  The colour is a good rich deep orange, the pride of Peru.  The pendant on this strand is a bird and the wonderful thing about this clay bird, is that it is a whistle and you can blow a sharp loud sound on it.  The tail has an old chip on it but it still looks natural and good - it does not detract.   $325.US.   Strand #2 is that beautiful rich, deep orange (sometimes reaching a warm red) colour of spondylus from Peru.  The necklace is 19 inches long and the central pendant is 1 1/4 inches long.  The longest shell bead is just over 1 1/4 inches.  The colour is just amazing.   $255.US.
  AM533.   The discs on this necklace sit very nicely when worn.  The largest one is stone and just under 1 inch in diameter.  The largest shell one is 3/4 inch in diameter.  The entire strand is 20 inches long and again, beautiful rich orange spondylus shell.   $225.US.
  AM534.   There are two strands here with beads very similar to the ones that Robert Liu shows on page 138 of "Collectible Beads".   Necklace #1 is 27 inches long.  I love the creamy feeling (and colour) of very old shell beads.  The way that they have been worn and smoothed gives them a great finish.  There is a nice variety of beads here and among them you can see the signs of time - the enlarged holes from string wearing against them, the shapes of the beads altered by others having rubbed against them for years, and marks left on the beads hundreds of years ago.  Quite wonderful.   $385.US.   Necklace #2 is ready to wear though I am always happier myself if cotton/silk or polyester cord is used rather than fishing line.  The long beads are nicely doubled up and then strands passing through single sputnik shaped beads.   There is a little more than 20 inches of beads which sit very nicely.  The bone beads have that softness and smoothness that comes with age and wear.   $385.US.   (#2 is on hold)
  AM535.   There are two strands of beads here, each with nice flat shell slices for a bit of drama.  They look great when worn.  Necklace #1 has 22 inches of shell and spondylus beads with pendants all around.  The central pendant is 2 inches tall, smooth on one side and textured on the other.  The preColumbian aesthetic was always interesting and attractive.  The colours have a very natural sense to them and look great against the skin.   $395.US.   Necklace #2 is a heavier variation.  The beads going around are sturdier with them going around just under 20 inches.  The side pendants are closer together and the central pendant is 2 3/8 inches tall.  Again the colours are creamy variations of brown, orange, pinkish - looking great against the skin.  This should be restrung - one of the brick coloured beads has been improperly strung and sits sideways, and too much of the fishing line shows at the back.  A nice cord would work perfectly and would not take long to do...  $450.US.
  AM536.   Peru also has beads made of stone, and this is one of them.  Well, stone and shell sitting side by side.  The colour of the stone is a warm grey.  It had been buried in the past and still has some remains both in the holes and in some parts of the polished outsides.  The strand has 22 inches of beads with a pottery centerpiece etched with lines - very traditional.  It is very close to the colour of the stone.  The weight of this patterned bead implies that it might be stone as well but since I can't do anything to test it (I don't want to harm it) I can't determine the material absolutely.  The diameter of it is a little over 1 1/8 inches.   $595.US.   (sold)
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  AM537.   This is an early traded strand of rare glass beads, brought to South America by the Spanish.  The colour of the wound beads is deeper and richer than on the photo.  Strung onto the strand is a preColumbian Sinu shell double holed pendant, and some Mexican stone pieces.  There are 10 small stone carvings here.  Three of them are people, one is a three sided carving representing an animal I think, and the rest are spear shaped.  The necklace is ready to wear, delicate and beautiful.  There are 20 inches of beads with a 1/2 inch long shell pendant.  The little men are just under 1/2 inch tall.   $385.US.
  AM538.   The beads from this necklace are Tairona - preColumbian, from Colombia, South America.  The five long pointed carnelian beads are often known as "bullet" beads because of their shape.  The have a hollow scooped out area where the holes cross so required a lot of work to have been manufactured by hand tools.  The central bead is 7/8 inches long and the entire necklace of shell and carnelian is 23 inches long.  This necklace is ready to wear.   $365.US.   (sold)

I have a new collection of preHispanic stone beads from Mexico.  They come from across the country starting at Guerrero on the west, across the State of Mexico, Morelos, Tlaxcala and the State of Veracruz to the east.  

It is always an adventure for me - what lies waiting for me to discover...

So please check the listings below.  The real items are much more attractive than the photos - I just can't seem to do the pieces justice.

A note is - that the beads do dry over the years and many collectors like to oil the beads to bring up their colour and textures.  Some rub beads on their foreheads for skin oil, others use skin cream (that is what I use as cooking oils change their smell over time) or a commercial oil.  Whatever suits the bead owner the best, works the best...












  AM539.   I don't have a scale that will check the weight of these beads accurately.  The closest I can come is a guess at 1 1/2 pounds or so, so shipping is more expensive than average.  The bead that is partly shown in the preview photo is 1 5/8 inch across at the widest and 1 1/4 inches across at the narrower end.  It is 1 inch tall.  The longer tubular bead is 2 inches long.  The entire strand is about 21 inches long and has a real variety of shapes of greenstone beads on it, most coming from the state of Morelos.  This could be a good foundation for a preHispanic collection of stone beads at a bargain price of  $500.US.  If you collected the beads individually they would cost at least twice as much.
  AM540.   Here is another heavy rock strand with a variety of beads on it.  The central bead illustrated in the preview photo is 1 5/8 inch across at the widest, 1 inch at the narrowest and is just under 1 inch tall.  Beads could be used individually as central points of interest on a necklace.  Even a bead strung onto a cord has a great time evoking look to it.  This measures about 22 inches in length.   $450.US.
  AM541.   This 18 inch long strand of beads could easily be restrung for wearing.  I admire the work needed to shape and polish these beads by hand, but the tubular beads are the hardest with their long holes diminishing in size the further in they are.  These beads have a good colour and a richness to them.  The longest tubular bead is 2 7/8 inches long, and the second is 2 5/8 inches long and an average of 1/2 inch in diameter.  One of the beads has a shade of green veering towards turquoise which is quite unusual.  These beads come from the state of Morelos - an area with some of the most intriguing pyramids, my favourite at the moment being Xochicalco.  It is high on a hill with a wonderful view and has a number of pyramids, some wonderful carved imagery, a playing field, and an observatorio placed in a cave beneath with a beam of light shooting down into it.  The magical life was evident.  This strand is  $475.US.
  AM542.   This 18 1/2 inch long strand of beads is nicely put together and ready to make into a necklace just as it is.  I like the contrast between the dark tubular beads and the lighter spacers.  The colours are rich and interesting and curious to spend time examining.  The strand came out of the state of Veracruz.   $350.US.
  AM543.   These two strands of preColumbian beads (in Mexico they are referred to as being preHispanico or antiguo) are well shaped and nicely graduated to make perfect necklaces.  The smaller strand is just under 18 inches long with the largest bead at the front being 11/16 inch in diameter and 3/8 inch thick.  The smallest beads are just under 3/8 inch in diameter.  The colours are good and rich with lots of speckled beads for interest.   $450.US.   The larger strand of beads is 24 inches long with the largest bead at the front being 1 inch in diameter and 3/4 inch thick at the widest.  The smallest bead on the strand is 7/15 inch in diameter and about 1/4 inch thick.  The graduation of sizes of beads on this strand is excellent.  One could easily use this to make both a necklace and a bracelet.  The greenstone beads are great in colour, some with wide streaks of white in them and others with a mottled pattern.   $580.US.
  AM544.   These preColumbian greenstone beads are acquiring some of the colour and mottling of jade.  They haven't quite reached the full reality of jade but there are many grades of stone and this is quite an attractive one that I don't get too often.  Each strand has its own personality.  Strand #1 is 21 inches long.  Some of the beads still have some crusting on them that has built up over years of burial.   $395.US.   Strand #2 is just under 21 inches long with attractive tubular beads.  The central bead is very nice and some short beads are grouped at the back.   $395.US.   Strand #3 is 15 inches long, has some nicely shaped beads at the front and some small eclectic ones at the back.   $345.US.
  AM545.   This is a pale grey preColumbian stone necklace from Tlaxcala.  There is a lot of texture to the 20 inches of beads.  The beads have not been washed and they could use a soaking as they have been buried for hundreds of years.   $220.US.
  AM546.   This is quite an odd necklace and if you are delicately set, it isn't for you.  This is a stone necklace (from the State of Morelos I believe) with some smooth and some rougher beads on it.  I have left it strung exactly as it was when I bought it.  There are 18 inches of beads but it is the pendant that is the special item - it is shaped like a penis, 3 1/4 inches long.  I know this piece has had a special significance but haven't had the chance to read up on it.  Here is something to research - my dealer in Mexico had great fun showing it to me.   $600.US.
  AM548.   This character from Puebla is crude in some ways - the texture of him is rough on both sides - is it volcanic rock?  It certainly looks like that to me.  Driving to the city of Puebla one sees the famous snow covered Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl as well as Malinche which is sitting dormant.  There is much volcanic rock in the area from years gone by.  This man has a stringing hole that will take a reasonable cord.  He is 3 1/8 inches tall and has a strong and direct stance.   $145.US.
  AM549.   These three pieces are from Puebla.  The first two are not pierced but used to hold or to display.   #1 is 2 7/8 inches tall and slightly curved outwards.  The back has a crust on it from years gone by.  You can distinguish the line between the legs and barely see where the mouth is - all has been very worn over time.   $125.US.   #2 is quite 3-dimensional and 2 1/4 inches tall.  All of the lines are quite clear with most of the wear occuring at the forehead and feet.  It is a mottled pale green and very attractive.   $145.US.   #4 is 2 3/8 inches tall and has a stringing hole at the top.  You can see a little dent where it is in the photo, so it can be hung as a pendant.  It is quite plain with spread legs, a straight mouth and clear ears.   $125.US.
  AM550.   This is a large Olmec rock sculpture from Puebla with the most subtle expression possible.  He is 5 inches tall, 2 1/2 inches at the widest, and 1 1/8 inch thick.  He weighs 14 ounces, just under a pound.  It is quite odd as when I hole him my fingers wrap into the indented parts quite naturally.  I wonder if he was held during ceremonies - it seems so natural.  This is the largest preHispanic figural piece that I have had.   $265.US.
  AM551.   Here are two very expressive face pendants - better in real life than in the photo.  Pendant #1 is a rich brown with a slightly lopsided face with the hole off to one side a little.  It is 2 7/8 inches tall and has a stringing hole large enough for a good cord.   $145.US.   Pendant #2 once had two stringing holes, one at each side.  Only one still exists as the other has worn through many years ago.  A fastening could be made circling that area of the face though as it is indented a bit.  The face has been very nicely carved with a fair bit of detail.   $120.US.
  AM552.   Both of these pendants have good holes for suspension although they are quite heavy so one would have to make sure that the stringing cord is very strong.   Pendant #1 is slightly over 2 1/2 inches tall.  The nose is what strands out the most clearly carved into the pale hard greenstone.  The back is quite flat.  I don't think that this has changed very much from the shape of the rock as it was found in the state of Morelos long long ago.  $75.US.   Pendant #2 has a good hole for stringing too.  It was packed with dirt from burial but I gave it a quick cleaning.  The pendant is 1 7/8 inches tall and quite think.  It is carved of a very hard greenstone.   $75.US.
  AM553.   Both of these pendants are made of a very hard black stone.  Pendant #1 is quite curious making me think of the shape of a dog style of animal.  The shaping of the eyes points towards what appears to be the snout.  At the end of the snout (you can almost see on the photo) is a circular indentation which I imagine is the mouth.  This had a hole for hanging but it has worn through so this is a piece working best for display.  $50.US.   Pendant #2 is just over 1 1/4 inches tall with soft groovings (seen more clearly in real life) to indicate the eyes and the mouth.  It has a good hole for hanging with.   $75.US.
  AM554.   The first piece here was once a head pendant carved of stone but the holes have worn through - they are clearly visible on the back.  It is a great piece for display though with a clear and simple face.  $30.US.   Pendant #2 is 1 inch tall stone pendant with a vibrant face.  The stringing hole goes straight through his forehead.   $45.US.
  AM555.   These two carved stone pieces from Mexico have both been broken hundreds of years ago.  They are still attractive and interesting.  Piece #1 is an expressive face of black stone - 2 inches tall.  It was once a pendant but the top with the stringing hole is missing - the stone is just rought at the top.   $35.US.   Piece #2 is the top half of a body.  The face has been damaged with a rather crushed top of head and nose, and the piece has been broken roughly at the waist.  It still carries a long story with it.   $35.US.
  AM556.   This is a rather wonderful sculpted clay head.  It was once the part of a whole man but broke off years ago at the base of the neck.  It looks excellent in a display and could be mounted very nicely.  There is the remains of a tag on the back - I have not removed it as it probably needs a careful washing to weaken the glue.  It could have had the former collector's code on it, or it could have been for sale somewhere long ago.  The face has the peculiar Asian eyes that cause many discussions on how people from various parts of the world moved from place to place thousands of years ago.  This is an Olmec piece from Puebla.   $145.US.
  AM559.   Beads and whorls.  #1 - $45.US.   #2 - $45.US.   #3 - $40.US.   #4 - $50.US.   #5 - $50.US.   #6 - $40.US.   #7 - $55.US.
  AM560.   Spindle whorls.   #1 - $75.US.   #2 -  $50.US.   #3 - $45.US.   #4 - $65.US.   #5 - $75.US.   #6 - $50.US.
  AM561.   Most of these beads are very well rounded and needed a lot of work to make them so smooth as well.   Bead #1 - 1 1/4 inch diameter   $25.US.   Bead #2 - 1 5/8 inch diameter   $65.US.   Bead #3 - 1 1/16 inch diameter   $20.US.   Bead #4 - 1 1/4 inches diameter   $40.US.   Bead #5 - 1 1/2 inches diameter   $50.US.   Bead #6 - 1 3/8 inch diameter   $40.US.   Bead # 7 - 1 1/16 inch diameter   $35.US.   Bead #8 - 1 3/8 inch diameter   $55.US.   Bead #9 - 1 1/2 inch diameter   $65.US.   Bead #10 - 1 1/4 inch diameter   $50.US.   Bead #11 - 1 3/8 inch diameter   $40.US.   Bead #12 - 1 1/8 inch diameter   $20.US.
  AM562.   I have a nice collection of stone rocks here so that you could simply string one onto a necklace rather than buy an entire necklace.  They are all a good size.   Bead #1 is 2 1/4 inches long and 1 3/8 inches wide.   $55.US.   Bead # 2 is smooth and black.  $50.US.   Bead #3 is 1 1/2 inches long.  $30.US.   Bead #4 has a rather odd shape and a great delicate colour.   $30.US.   Bead #5 is 1 1/4 inches long and only partly cleaned.   $20.US.    Bead #6 is a wide flat bead.  It is 1 5/8 inches wide and just under 1 inch thick.   $35.US.   Bead #7 is 1 3/4 inches long.   $45.US.   Bead #8 is a very nicely cut, nicely smoothed, well shaped bead.   $75.US.   Bead #9 has been shaped a bit on the sides so that it dips in and out 3 times.   $35.US.   Bead #10 is an extra heavy nicely smoothed slightly flattened round bead.  It is a warm brown and I think the extra weight means it has a percentage of iron in it.   $45.US.  #11 is a nicely shaped flattened round black & grey bead just under 1 1/4 inches in diameter.   $30.US.   #12 is casually shaped like a spindle whorl.  It is a nice soft green colour and shaped in an irregular but interesting way.   $55.US.
  AM563.   This pale greenstone earspool is very smoothly shaped on the other side.  It is raised in an irregular way on this side.  There are no stringing holes but a cord could be knotted into it to turn it into a pendant.  This is quite heavy at 3 inches across and 1 inch at the thickest.   $120.US.
  AM564.   This is a monumentally attractive very large (3 5/8 inches at the widest with a 3/4 inch central hole) hard black stone earspool with a single suspension hole.  It could be an amazing pendant, perhaps hanging close to the throat.  I like it very much.   $195.US.
  AM565.   Here are three heavy preColumbians pendants - each has one hole for suspension.  I don't know what #1 represents but it is an attractive oval with a carved line crossing it.  The hole is set to the side a little so it hangs on an angle which gives it a very creative and modern look.  It is rubbed to be very smooth so very nice to hold as well.   $85.US.   Pendant #2 is quite rough, pretty well like a rock with a stringing hole.   $35.US.   Pendant #3 is dark, smooth and black with a face carved into it by smooth lines crossing the stone.  The suspension hole is placed in the middle where the shape curves down a little.  It is heavy and very attractive.   $110.US.
  AM566.   There are five very different bead/pendants illustrated here.  #1 represents a face but one has to imagine it.  The colour of the stone is an attractive mottled green, and there are two sets of holes in the back so that it can easily be hung with cord facing forward.   $70.US.   #2 is a pendant that once had two holes for suspension, but only one is still intact.  It is 1 1/4 inches tall.   $30.US.   #3 is a very interesting piece and I have no idea what it represents.  It is a creamy colour and still has a fair bit of coating from burial.  It hangs easily.   $65.US.   #4 is a 1 1/2 inch tall pendant with a face etched into it.  The eyes are deep and the mouth is a straight line across.  There is one stringing hole a little to one side of the middle of the top of the back.  $65.US.   #5 is simply a bead which has had its sides cut in so that it looks a little like a flower.   $25.US.
  AM567.   These preColumbian earspools all have holes hand drilled into them so they could be used to creat pendants.  Very attractive ones too.  Earspool #1 is just under 2 1/4 inches across, has one hole, and is made of a streaky grey stone.   $95.US.   Earspool #2 is greenstone with two sets of holes, 2 inches across (very nicely cut on the other side) and 1 inch tall.   $110.US.   Earspool #3 is mottled in browns and dull greens, 2 3/16 inches across and has two sets of holes.   $85.US.

  AM547.   This is an old 2 meter long strand of traditional Guatemalan beads.  These are generally made of low end silver with a brassy colour at times.  They have a good look to their colour though.  The round beads are about 7/15 inch in diameter, some plain and some with cut-outs.  I have never had a strand so long - - $110.US.

  AM557.   Here is a 55 gram solid silver Catrina pendant from Mexico.  The Catrina is a famous elegant skeletal figure made famous by Posada in the early 1900s, celebrated all over Mexico especially during the days of the dead, and brought up to date by Diego Rivera in his murals.  The Catrina is fully 3 dimensional with fancy dress and wide hat.  She stands 2 1/2 inches tall.  With hanging loop the pendant is 3 1/4 inches tall.   $135.US.
  AM558.   This brassy stamping portrays the Saint of Music - Santa Cecilia, spelled "STA. CAECILIA" playing her organ on the piece.  The stamping is 1 3/4 by 2 1/2 inches in size and has a hanging loop at the center of the top.  I think it was fastened to a wall before and nails held the bottom two corners down firmly.   $35.US.

  AM568.   I love the good silver tokens from the past - the new ones are not at all as interesting.  This is a Virgin of Guadalupe token measuring 1 3/8 inches in diameter.  On one side is a typical 3-dimensional portrait of Guadalupe standing in the clouds.  Around her are the words "NON FECIT TALITER" and "OMNI NATIONI" with a rose next.  On the other side is a view of the basilica of Guadalupe in northern Mexico City.  Around the image of the plaza and the four main churches are the words "RECUERDO DE LA INAUGERACION DE LA PLAZA MONUMENTAL DE LA BASILICA DE GUADALUPE" and "1952 Mexico D.F."   Now there is a modern basilica as well with the image that is claimed to have been found by Juan Diego, now a saint hung in a hallway.  There are moving walkways like in an airport for people wanting to view the image - so everyone passes at one speed.  The token is  $45.US.
  AM569.   This is a solid silver ring from Mexico set with a 20 centavos coin dated 1937.  The coin is 3/4 inch across and sits quietly in the ring set in a very simple way.  The ring is a size 8 and is nicely and smoothly worn.   $55.US.
  AM570.   This is a traditionally decorated ring from Mexico with a textured band and silver twisted chain and loops around the frog centerpiece.  The frog was once a pendant and has a hole at the back that was used for stringing.  He crouches nicely, is simple and attractive.  The frog is slightly over 7/8 inch long and the ring is a size 9.  $65.US.
  AM571.   This bracelet is a souvenir of the Chicago Worlds Fair of 1933.  It has a patent number inside but I can't quite read it.  Lots of patented items can be seen on-line though and I was curious to look for this.  The bracelet is quite unique as it closes just like a belt buckle does.  One pushes the bracelet from side to side a little so that the buckle loosens and you can life the buckle up (it is hinged) once it slips over the little pin.  When the buckle is lifted the bracelet opens just like a belt does.  The bracelet is a metal that is a little darker than silver.  It is 3/4 inch tall and covered with delicate images of the buildings on the Chicago skyline including a plane and a zeppelin flying overhead and the water of Lake Michigan lapping in front.  This is very unusual.  $125.US.
  AM572.  

  AM573.  

These skulls with stringing holes in the back have been carved by modern Mayans.  They use the same methods as in the past to create contemporary versions of the images.  The skulls are each a little different, carved in crystal as well as one small one in turquoise.  They have been smoothed nicely and have a rather elegant look.  They average about 3/4 inch in height.  They are  $20.US/each.
  AM574.   Strand #1   $245.US.   Strand #2   $245.US.   Strand #3   $245.US.   Strand #4   $245.US.

AM322.   This preColumbian holed disc was found in west Mexico in a shaft tomb area.  It was originally collected by Lynn Langdon in the 1950s.  He was a major collector often working with archaeologists and museum curators.  This pale greenstone piece measures 1 7/8 inches across.  It has a small hole at one side and it is thought that it hung as an ear decoration.  It could easily be worn now as a pendant.  The piece has cracks going all across one side but I am told that it has never been broken - that the line is part of the stone itself.  Even though this is a hard stone, I would be careful not to drop it while wearing it or bang it against anything equally hard.  This has a great old worn feeling to it and is dated C.300BC to 300AD.   $175.US.

AM205.   This necklace is ready to wear.  The beads are tubes and discs made of shell originating in the Sinu culture of Columbia, dating from around 600 - 1600 AD.  Their colour is a mellow cream and their surfaces have been smoothed over the years.  The centerpiece is a small, heavily patinated, bronze face pendant measuring slightly over 1 inch long.  It is preColumbian again, but I can't identify exactly where it was made.  Perhaps some research would discover some similar pieces to compare it with.  The necklace will just slip over your head as it is 24 1/2 inches long.  It just ties shut at the back.   $275.US.

AM214.   This is a sweet little necklace made up of carnelian preColumbian beads from the Tairona people of Colombia.  All except the two greenstone ones (called "jade" by some dealers)  which are from the state of Guerrero in Mexico.  The necklace is delicate and pretty.  It measures 17 inches around so sits nicely below the bottom of the neckline. The central tubular bead is slightly over 1 1/8 inch across and the beads at the end are shell and stone.  The necklace is closed with a modern sterling silver "S" hook.  $355.US.

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