Two modernist tie clips tie bars designed by Chato Castillo in the 1950s for the family firm, Los Castillo in Taxco. One of the greatest Mexican technical innovators in the 20th century, Chato was also a talented designer! Like many artists of his generation, Chato took much inspiration from the pre-Columbian cultures of ancient Mexico, and their artifacts that were still to be found strewn throughout much of the country. In Pre-Columbian Mexico, snakes (serpents) were powerful symbols of fertility, rebirth, agricultural renewal, and the connection between the earthly underworld and the heavens. They represented duality, often embodying the merging of earth and sky as seen in the deity Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent. The top example is in 'Metales Castillo' (married metals) in copper and sterling, and the bottom example is in all sterling. Top example measures 2.25" wide by 1.25" Bottom example measures 2.25" wide by 5/8". Both have 1950s marks for Los Castilo in Taxco, top is design number '79', and the bottom is design number '166'. Note on Los Castillo design numbers. They are not necessarily sequential. They varied by materials used, time period of origin, and by the designer. You cannot date a Los Castillo piece based solely on the design number.

Two modernist Snake tie clips by Los Castillo c.1950s - top in copper and sterling, the bottom example in all sterling silver - both are 2.25" across, the top is 1.25" wide, the bottom is 5/8" wide.

#loscastillotaxco #chatocastillodesign #handmade #mexico #tieclips #tiebars #metalescastillo #silver

An early 1950s Chato design that has had endless permutations by Los Castillo over the years - basically a concave setting at top centering a large stone with a wide band bracelet below - the concave setting has taken many shapes, and centered many different cuts and types of stones, and the band has tapered or not, and been constructed of various metals, but basically the same design nonetheless - this is one of the earliest examples, created in ‘Metales Castillo’ (sterling, copper, and brass) and centering a large vividly colored almost ‘painterly’ azurmalachite cabochon - no doubt a one of a kind and possibly the prototype for all the later variants by Los Castillo.

An early 1950s Chato bracelet design for Los Castillo created in ‘metales castillo’ (sterling, copper, and brass) and centering a large vividly colored azurmalachite cabochon.

#chatocastillotaxco #loscastillotaxco #taxco #metalescastillo #azurmalachite #mexicanmodernism #midcenturymexico #bracelet

Chato Castillo was one of the four founding brothers of Los Castillo in Taxco, Mexico, in 1939. He was a silversmith, a designer, and a technical innovator who invented many unique metalworking techniques including: 'metales casados' (married metals), 'mosaico azteca' (mosaic stone inlay), the 'pluma azteca' (feather inlay), among others! His techniques were widely copied by other silversmiths and designers throughout Mexico, and became emblematic of the Mexican mid-century modernist style! Although many other designers in Mexico used pre-Columbian artifacts in their creations, Chato found new and unique ways of doing so, and this bracelet is an excellent example! Composed of metales casados (copper and brass) over sterling silver, and centering a pre-Columbian green stone ear spool at center top from which drops a triangular metals casados plaque with size copper and bronze drops. This particular design was made in many variations over the years by Chato, and his brother Antonio after Chato's death, but each was unique - no two were exactly the same!

A Los Castillo Taxco married metals and pre Columbian green stone ear-spool bracelet with dangles - designed by Chato Castillo for Los Castillo circa 1960.

#handmade #metalescastillo #metalescasados #marriedmetals #precolumbian #mexicansilver #mexicanjewelry #loscastillotaxco #chatocastillodesign

A Los Castillo Taxco sterling and copper letter opener circa 1950 - a 'metales casados' (married metals) blade, and the handle wrapped in sterling wire - measures 8.5" long and weighs 115 grams!

#loscastillotaxco #mexicansilver #handmade #hechoenmexico #metalescastillo #metalescasados #mexico #art

A Los Castillo Taxco sterling and copper letter opener circa 1950 - a 'metales casados' (married metals) blade, and the handle wrapped in sterling wire - measures 8.5" long and weighs 115 grams!

#loscastillotaxco #mexicansilver #handmade #hechoenmexico #metalescastillo #metalescasados #mexico #art

A large vintage 1950s Los Castillo Taxco ‘metales casados’ Mexican modernist geometric design tray - the tray has been given a hammered treatment at top, and the metales casados is in three metals, copper and silver, and a third metal that has been given a dark patina - I’m not sure exactly what the third metal is, but the patina has worn in a few small spots and it looks like possibly a brass or bronze alloy, but I can’t say for sure. This round tray measures 11.5” diameter, and weighs almost 30 ounces. Marked at back as shown, design number “162”, “Los Castillo Taxco” in a circle, and “Metales Castillo”. The tray was also given a clear lacquer coating that is still evident at back but mostly worn away on top. Note on the ‘Metales Castillo” mark: on their earliest married metal pieces, Los Castillo marked them ‘metales casados’. However, they were unable to copyright or patent protect the term, and it was being used widely by copycats knocking off their designs, so they coined the mark, “Metales Castillo” which they were able to copyright and this became one of the marks found on their married metals pieces in the 1950s and 60s. Sometimes, pieces by Los Castillo only have the ‘Metales Castillo’ mark without the other marks, but since this mark was only used by Los Castillo, it’s a pretty sure indication that the item is genuine.

marks at back of the Los Castillo 'metales casados" tray

A large 1950s 'Metales Castillo' tray designed by Chato Castillo for Los Castillo in Taxco.

#chatocastillo #metalescasados #metalescastillo #marriedmetals #loscastillotaxco #taxco #handmade #metalart #art #vintage1950s #mexicanmodernism #metalworking #mexicandesign #design #artinmetal #mixedmetals