Fine Art & Paintings

Vintage Mexican Alpaca Silver Crushed Turquoise Inlay Brooch – Southwest Desert Scene

$35.00

Description

This charming vintage brooch is a wonderful example of mid-20th century Mexican folk art jewelry, crafted in the classic alpaca silver tradition with a crushed turquoise stone inlay background. The Southwest desert scene features a stylized adobe house with a cross window, a saguaro cactus, and what appears to be a road runner or Gila monster rendered in warm brass-toned metal — iconic imagery of the American Southwest and northern Mexican borderlands. This style of inlay work, popular from the 1950s through the 1970s, was produced primarily in Taxco and other Mexican silversmithing centers for the tourist and export markets. The combination of crushed malachite-green turquoise chips set in resin against the metal figures gives it a mosaic-like folk art quality that remains highly sought after by collectors of vintage Southwestern and Mexican jewelry. A wonderful conversation piece for any lover of vintage jewelry, folk art, or Southwest Americana. Would pair beautifully on a denim jacket, blazer lapel, or displayed in a vintage jewelry collection.

Condition

Good

Overall good condition with nice patina. Some minor tarnishing on the silver/alpaca metal rim. Crushed turquoise inlay intact with no visible missing sections. Brass figural design (adobe house, cactus, road runner or lizard motif) is clear and intact.

Dimensions

H 2"

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All sales final. Illinois sales tax applied at checkout.

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This charming pair of footed pressed glass salt cellars exemplifies the decorative tabletop artistry popular in American and European households during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The bold swag-and-tassel cut pattern around the bowl rim and the faceted pedestal base reflect the period's love of ornate, light-catching glassware at even the most intimate scale. Salt cellars of this style were standard fixtures on Victorian and Edwardian dining tables, presented alongside individual salt spoons for each diner — a tradition that speaks to an era of formal entertaining and meticulous table setting. The generous open-bowl form suggests these may have also served as individual nut or condiment dishes. The matched pair format is particularly desirable among collectors, making these an attractive find for anyone assembling a period table setting or building a pressed glass collection.

$55.00