early Taxco Mexican silver ancient stone bead Ring with cascabeles

Early, sweet little ring from Taxco, this pinky is wrought in silver and adorned with what I believe to be an ancient bi-cone stone bead out of which emanate two playful, musical cascabeles. It is not uncommon for vintage Mexican jewelry from the first decades of the country's 20th c. Silver Renaissance to incorporate ancient beads and small artifacts as it was not illegal at the time for individuals to buy and sell them. What makes the specific ring attractive for me is that it's an example from Taxco's very first steps on the road that would eventually make it the country's supreme silversmithing center in the modern years. The design is still basic; the connection to everyday life still strong with the cascabeles; the link to the land's old civilizations present in the re-use of the bead. Precious...

Size / Weight: currently a sz 4.75 US (yet resizable by your jeweler); face has a diameter of 5/8" and rises a little more than that when on the finger; 5.5 grams

Hallmarks / Date: simply marked "TAXCO"; not hallmarked for metal quality yet tested and guaranteed to be solid silver, most probably sterling if not purer; 1930s

Condition: excellent vintage with a beautiful color in the ancient stone bead, nice patina on the cascabeles and the shank, with no damage or repairs noted

Inv# 15670