These Mayan influenced sterling silver turquoise earrings are eccentric, astonishing craftmanship that you dont see just walking the streets as a tourist in Mexico today. These came from up in the mountains, high up in Taxco, where in the 1960s and 1970s you could purchase artisan sterling jewelry by local designers, by auction only each day after siesta in the many little shops on steep cobblestone streets.
MATL was incredibly bold and deeply ethnic. MATL style Mexican jewelry is a term that refers to artist Matilde Poulat who began making jewelry in Mexico City in 1934. Her work is probably the most intricate and labor intensive, including her signature style of chasing or crimping. Matl trained her nephew Ricardo Salas and after Matilde passed away in 1960, Ricardo continued to run her shop.
These earrings are not signed MATL but they are signed TS-38, Mexico, 925. (Just one earring is signed.) There is no Taxco jewelry registry to confirm the designer of these earrings but it makes sense that they are an early registry Taxco mark (T and 38) and the S could stand for Salas. This information relating to MATL marks is found in sterling jewelry reference books in print.
These pierced earrings are solid sterling silver with genuine turquoise and red coral nuggets. Large in size, these pierced earrings are 2 5/8" long x 1" wide or 60 mm x 25 mm. Both earrings together weigh 28 grams.
The pair is in pristine clean condition with no imperfections or flaws. There are no scratches or dings and all of the gems are original, present, and in perfect shape. The ear studs are new and never worn.
Comes gift wrapped and shipped in a new luxury presentation earring box.
