MONROVIA, Calif. — When Cindy Tietze married Stuart Hodosh they, like many couples, looked for a hobby they could pursue together. That hobby would lead to amassing one of the best collections of Mexican silver in private hands. Rare and wonderful works from Taxco-based masters William Spratling, Antonio Pineda, Los Castillo, and more of Mexico’s most important artisans will be represented at auction March 1. The auction will include nearly all the pieces from the landmark Fowler Museum exhibition Silver Seduction. Moran’s is proud to bring this extraordinary collection to market. Antonio Pineda was one of the most unique voices to emerge during the golden age of the Mexican silver renaissance and his jewelry and housewares are well represented in the sale. A personal friend of Cindy and Stuart, some of the best examples of Pineda’s Modernist aesthetic can be found in the auction. A stunning and rare pair of columnar candlesticks are believed to be one of only three pairs in existence and come to the block with an $8,000-10,000 estimate. Nearly all the examples at the auction from Pineda were featured in the exhibition catalog for Silver Seduction. No auction of Mexican silver could be complete without the father of the Mexican silver renaissance, William Spratling. The American from New Orleans fell in love with Taxco and on the advice from friend Diego Rivera as well as the former American ambassador from Mexico, he set about establishing a silver industry in Mexico that would directly benefit the local economy. A stunning “Buttons & Bows” tea and coffee service with its gorgeous proportions and imitable design was made during the brief period Spratling designed for Conquistador and is sure to bring $1,500-2,000 at auction. Just before Spratling began his silver business, a monumental discovery of Tomb 7 at Monte Alban, a Pre-Columbian complex, took Mexico by storm. A wealth of metalwork from the goldsmiths of the era, the Mixtec, were unearthed and their influence would have a profound impact on Spratling’s designs. A gorgeous gold necklace centering a Pre-Columbian inspired jade carving comes to the block with a $8,000-12,000 estimate. For those with a taste for the American West, Moran’s has grand plans for its March 15 Art of the American West auction. It will be filled with fresh to market pieces from local collections including textiles, jewelry, and basketry from the Hodosh collection. Contact: (626) 793-1833, www.johnmoran.com |