Emilia Castillo Taxco Porcelain & Pure Silver Dove Jewelry Box, Mexican Modern

Details

Description

A charming and highly collectible “Dove” jewelry box by Mexican designer and silversmith Emilia Castillo, handcrafted in Taxco, Mexico. The … Read more A charming and highly collectible “Dove” jewelry box by Mexican designer and silversmith Emilia Castillo, handcrafted in Taxco, Mexico. The sculptural two-piece design combines softly finished white porcelain with hand-applied pure silver decoration, transforming a functional box into a small work of Mexican decorative art.

The removable lid takes the form of a stylized dove, its wings and tail articulated with intricate linear silver detailing. The porcelain bowl beneath is ornamented with delicate libélula (dragonfly) motifs, also rendered in silver. The restrained ivory-and-silver palette gives the piece a remarkably contemporary quality and allows it to work beautifully within both modern and traditional interiors.

Emilia Castillo occupies an important place in the continuation of Taxco’s celebrated silversmithing tradition. She is the daughter of Antonio Castillo, one of the founders of the renowned Los Castillo workshop, established in Taxco in 1939 after the Castillo brothers trained in William Spratling’s influential workshop. Growing up within this environment, Emilia learned the traditions of Mexican metalwork from an early age and subsequently developed a distinctive design vocabulary of her own.

Castillo became particularly recognized for her technically demanding combination of porcelain and silver overlay, often drawing inspiration from birds, insects, animals and the natural world. Her work gained an international audience through Neiman Marcus beginning in the early 1990s, while her career has also included important international commissions.

This dove is an especially appealing example of that legacy: whimsical without being overly decorative, sculptural yet functional, and unmistakably rooted in the Mexican modern design tradition. For collectors of Taxco silver, Mexican Modernism, Los Castillo, William Spratling and 20th-century Latin American decorative arts, it offers both strong provenance and considerable visual presence.

Both components are individually hand-signed in silver. The bowl is marked:

“Emilia Castillo / Plata Pura / México M.R. / 19”

The dove is marked:
“Emilia Castillo / Plata Pura / Mexico M.R. / 1”

Dimensions: 4 in. H × 4.25 in. W × 3 in. D.

Condition: Good vintage condition with age-appropriate wear. One of the silver dragonfly decorations along the rim of the bowl has a loss/missing silver element. Please refer to the photographs for additional condition details.

Beyond its intended use as a jewelry or keepsake box, the piece makes a sophisticated decorative object for a console, cocktail table, vanity, bookshelf or curated vitrine. Its modest scale makes it particularly effective for interior designers looking to introduce an authentic piece of Mexican craftsmanship into a layered contemporary interior. See less