Miguel Melendez Mexican silver tiger's eye figural Pendant Necklace

One of Taxco’s two “Miguels”, Miguel Melendez started his career with William Spratling at Las Delicias, moved on to work with the Los Castillo and later Margot de Taxco and in the early 1950s opened his own workshop. A talented modernist with deep roots in Mexico’s rich archaeological history, he loved combining silver with hard- and semi-precious stones and excelled in two-sided pendants that married stone or shell inlay with abstract overlay on highly oxidized surfaces. The figural piece presented here features an articulated ancient figure, its face and legs carved out of tiger’s eye, hanging off its original, signed Miguel chain. Pendant necklaces are not a rare find within the world of vintage Mexican silver jewelry yet more often than not, the original pairs get separated during their long life. To come upon one whose components are both signed by the same maker is an occasion to be celebrated, especially when the signature belongs to a maestro of Miguel Melendez’s caliber…

Size / Weight: pendant is 4 1/4” long (without the bail) by 1 3/8” wide; with the bail it adds a 4 5/8” drop to the chain; chain itself is 21” long; 50.8 grams (for the set)

Hallmarks / Date: Melendez’s “m” signature in script on both pieces as shown as well as “STERLING HECHO EN MEXICO”, “TAXCO” and Eagle 3 assay mark; 1960s-70s

Condition: excellent vintage with impressive visual presence, a gorgeous stone with warm golden hues, substantial and perfectly finished, with warm patina, an original Miguel chain and no damage or repairs noted

Inv# 15677