Posted 8 years ago
Arlette
(41 items)
Another garage sale find same place as the others I posted . I think this might be silver . Tried to get a picture of the mark on inside , but I think I failed at that lol. It is very tarnished by I'm not sure what to polish it with .
I might be able to get a better picture of marking on back , there is a small rectangle mark I can't make out what it is .
Is the black on the tips maybe enamel .
How should I clean it ?
This was made in Taxco, Mexico.
The "T" is for Taxco.
The "A" (looks like an A, anyway) is the initial of either the first or last name of the silversmith.
The number 150 means the silversmith is the 150th registered silversmith in Taxco.
Is the other mark "925" or something else?
You should go get a bottle of silver polish. Use a cotton cloth to remove the polish/tarnish ( an old pillow case will do) and then wash it carefully in warm, soapy water.
Never clean silver with toothpaste as some recommend. Toothpaste is abrasive and will ruin the silver finish.
That "rectangle" mark is probably the Eagle mark - there should be a number inside that mark.
http://www.silvercollection.it/mexicosilvermarks.html
"AN INTRODUCTION TO MEXICO SILVER MARKING
In the first half of the 20th century silver items manufactured in Mexico were marked simply "silver" or "sterling". Usually a location (Mexico or a town name) and silver fineness (925, 925/1000, 980) was included.
In 1948 the Government of Mexico promoted the reintroduction of the "eagle mark" to identify the manufacturers of silver items. The "eagle" was stamped with a number associated to a silver manufacturing company. This system was unsuccessful, eagle stamps were misused or "loaned" to more than one artist of maker and was abandoned in the 1980s. It was substituted by the "letter and number" system still in use.
In the "Letter and number" system a letter identifies a location (T for Taxco, M for Mexico City), the second letter is the first letter of an individual's first or last name of the maker. The number is the number of registration of the maker."
The black is onyx, not enamel. Here is another bracelet by the same silversmith:
http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Amazing-Heavy-Vintage-Onyx-Sterling-Silver-Mexican-Designer-Bangle-By-TA-150-/381633896123?hash=item58db271ebb
Thanks val!
Yes, this is definitely a "polish it up" bracelet. Taxco Mexican and Native American jewelry are my favorites. Egyptian jewelry runs a close third.
Thanks for all the great information . Will put a polished picture .