William Spratling Pillow Bracelet

This is a weighty piece of silver masterwork designed by William Spratling. Note: Its buttery golden patina is a result of combining silver 980 silver and copper. A beloved combination among many Taxco maestros in spite of the extraordinary work it takes to marry silver and copper. The aged patina is worth it. These pieces are rare and are usually true in the world of silver. This Spratling is one of my most celebrated items. I'm usually excited, but even I felt a moment of reluctance in selling this piece. No worries, though. I'm back to excitement!

The "Spratling Silver" stamp was used between 1940-1946 (see: Hougarts book of Mexican Silver Hallmarks, pgs 170-171). It isn't .925 silver which means 92.5% silver, it is Spratling Silver which is 98% silver. This higher grade of silver was also used by contemporaries such as Pedro Castillo, Margot de Taxco, Alfredo Villasana, Hector Aguilar, and Gerardo Lopez, to name a few. The purer silver formula was brilliant, more malleable, and developed a slower more buttery patina. The glory of this historic bracelet is in the thoughtful approach to design. Each "pillow" is separated by three elegant spheres. The copper wave is a perfect contrast. The Wave is reminiscent of the Spratling "S" in his hallmark stamp. A version of this design is featured in the book Mexican Silver by Morrill and Berk on page 43. Look at it. I need not say more.