IT IS WORTH LEARNING AND READING ABOUT HECTOR AGUILAR & THE IMPORTANT ROLE HE PLAYED DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE MEXICAN SILVER RENAISSANCE DAYS!

You might say that it was William Spratling who was the central figure instrumental in helping to give birth to the silver movement in Taxco during the height of the Mexican Silver Renaissance.

Hector Aguilar, who had worked as a tourist guide before meeting the legendary Spratling, was one of many artists who got his start by joining Spratling’s operation in 1937 as manager of the Las Delicias silver workshop. Two years later he left to form his own Taller Borda workshop. Several talented silversmiths followed him, including Pedro and Juan Castillo, Salvador Garcia, and another Pedro Castillo. Pedro Castillo worked at the Taller Borda for nine years, eventually rising to the position of workshop manager.

Hector Aguilar was the principal designer for the jewelry he signed, but much of his workshop’s output consisted of elaborate floral pieces created by Valentín Vidaurreta, who collaborated closely with Aguilar from 1941 to 1955. After Hector and his wife restored the Borda Palace in Taxco, it became the primary location for every aspect of his silver business — housing the silver, tin, and copper workshops, the carpentry shop, and the retail store.

During World War II the Borda workshop expanded significantly, growing to more than 300 artisans and even moving into an additional building down the street to accommodate the increased production. Demand was very high and Aguilar secured prestigious contracts to make jewelry for major American department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Gumps, to name just a few. After the war, however, demand for Mexican jewelry in the United States declined. The number of artisans at the Borda workshop gradually dwindled until 1966, when Hector Aguilar finally closed the business. Over the years Aguilar had designed a wide variety of items beyond jewelry, including tea sets, chess sets, light fittings, mirrors, and other decorative objects.

His jewelry designs were inspired primarily by Aztec and Mixtec architecture and art. Ancient motifs were carefully stylized and often repeated, producing striking yet simple compositions. The lush tropical flowers that grew around Taxco also provided rich design sources, and those blossoms were painstakingly rendered in silver. Each piece produced in the workshop received a name, reflecting the thoughtful creativity behind the work. Aguilar gained a reputation for technically brilliant, dramatic jewelry and favored working in 940 silver, a higher-purity alloy closer to fine silver (.999) than sterling; its greater purity and warmer patina allow it to age more gracefully than standard 925 sterling.

Hector played a major role at the height of the Mexican Silver Renaissance during the early Taxco era and helped shape what is now considered some of the most sought-after jewelry from that influential period. His work remains HIGHLY collectible and continues to be prized by collectors and enthusiasts alike.

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THE NECKLACE:
Designed by one that has nothing less than a architectural mind, this was miraculously designed of 11 overlapping sterling silver oval-ish trapezoidal shaped panels that graduate in size and which are the main focus of the necklace. Each panel is domed so that the metal portion emulates the armored desert shell which is what gives the design its name. What is unique about the design is for the fact that the ‘dots’ in each are actually the connections that hold each panel in place but become apart of the design. These look like a nail with a flat head & are drilled into the sterling & the ‘head’ locks the panel in.(See photos) If you notice the impeccable workmanship, you’ll see that when you lay the necklace out, all the nail heads lay precisely in a row on the frontside!!! This takes a superb ‘attention to detail “eye”, which not every jeweler can do!

This sculptural necklace was made to move, bend & conform to the body it’s worn on. The armadillo is not mere ornamentation; its segmented panels informs the design, rendered as articulated silver that curves and closes protectively around the body, echoing the creature’s natural armor and movement.

This is a “CHOKER” necklace, so it is meant to sit high on the neck where statement necklaces look best, since this is where the viewers eye goes. Normally Hector’s signature silver purity was to work in 940 silver, but this necklace is made in sterling & was made between 1943 & 1948 before the “Eagle” hallmark was mandatory when jewelry was being shipped out of Mexico . (see hallmark)

There is nothing to distract from the design, since it’s totally made of 11 sterling panels & a soft black cotton velvet fabric that completes the necklace. Nothing more, nothing less!!

What will draw your eye to this necklace is not only the design itself, but the warmth of the gorgeous patination that has beautifully developed over the decades! This alone will immediately let you know it’s age! The patina is absolutely beautiful!!

IF YOU ZOOM IN ON THE LAST PHOTO,YOU’LL FIND A PAIR OF HECTOR’S ALL STERLING-SCREW BACK EARRINGS THAT WILL BE LISTED ASAP! (THESE CAN BE EASILY CONVERTED INTO POSTS IF YOU DON’T WEAR SCREW BACKS.(THIS IS AT YOUR EXPENSE)

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Please go through all photos, since they playa major role to the description!

ARTIST: HECTOR AGUILAR

MADE IN: TAXCO MEXICO

CIRCA MADE: 1943-1948 (Pre-Eagle)

WEIGHT: 3.35 OUNCES ( 95 Grams)

WEARABLE INTERIOR LENGTH: 16 " (Measured laying horizontally-end to end-without the slide in clasp & panel length)

NECKLACE STYLE: Choker

ADJUSTABLE: NO

FABRIC WIDTH: 5/8"

METAL: SILVER

METAL PURITY: 92.5% (Sterling)

PANEL AMOUNT: 11

PANEL SIZE: From as large as 1-3/8” x 1-3/8”(center) to as small as 1-1/8” x 1-1/8” (Nearest the fabric)

CLOSURE: SLIDE IN/OUT CLASP -Strong Clasp!

HALLMARK: Conjoined “HA”=inside a circle that says “Made in Mexico”-Sterling on the bottom of circle (See hallmark photo)

CONDITION: This is over 80 years old!! The patina is unbelievably beautiful! I would say that this necklace was deeply loved & worn quite a bit, since the fabric has a little bit of wear but is very wearable & would have to be pointed out. The clasp is strong. Somebody I’d say, really loved this necklace!

COMES GIFT BOXED.

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SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT:

***Because of the price,this will have a mandatory signature confirmation requirement. (Reflected in the shipping cost) . If you're not home in the day & need it shipped where it can be signed for, please change that in your "Ship To" section before I create the shipping label***I'm sorry if this may be an inconvenience to you, but this is to protect us both & I will not ship expensive pieces with out one..

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