Los Castillo Taxco Brass Abalone Bird Bowl Mexican Modernist 1960s

A charming and highly decorative Mexican Modernist bowl by Los Castillo of Taxco, dating to the 1960s and combining hand-worked metal with the workshop’s celebrated use of natural materials and whimsical animal imagery.

The shallow pedestal bowl is crafted in solid brass and was originally silver plated. Much of the original silver plating has worn away through age and use, revealing the warm golden brass beneath and creating a richly layered, time-worn surface with traces of silver remaining throughout. Rather than diminishing the piece, the contrast between silver and exposed brass gives it an especially attractive vintage character.

Perched along the rim is an exceptionally detailed bird rendered in iridescent abalone shell inlay. Individual sections of shell create the bird's plumage in shifting tones of turquoise, blue, green, violet and mother-of-pearl. Beside the bird is a small sculptural flower or fruiting form accented with vivid red enamel, providing a striking counterpoint to the abalone and golden metal.

Los Castillo was established in Taxco, Guerrero, in 1939 by Antonio Castillo and his brothers Jorge “Chato,” Miguel and Justo “Coco” Castillo, together with important early collaborators including Margot van Voorhies Carr—later known as Margot de Taxco—and Salvador Terán. The Castillo brothers emerged from the circle surrounding William Spratling and his Taller de Las Delicias, which played a central role in transforming Taxco into an internationally recognized center of modern Mexican silver design.

Los Castillo became particularly admired for pushing traditional Taxco metalwork beyond conventional sterling silver, experimenting with mixed metals, mosaics, enamel, stone and shell inlay. Nature-inspired subjects—including birds, fish, flowers and other animals—became an important part of the workshop's visual vocabulary.

The bowl belongs to the broader Taxco Mexican silver renaissance, placing it within the collecting tradition associated with William Spratling, Antonio Pineda, Héctor Aguilar, Margot de Taxco, Matilde Poulat (MATL), Salvador Terán, Sigi Pineda and Ana Núñez de Brilanti. These designers and workshops helped establish a distinctly Mexican modernist language combining pre-Columbian references, traditional craftsmanship and twentieth-century design.

The underside retains the original stamped workshop hallmark:

LOS CASTILLO
TAXCO
HECHO A MANO
MEXICO
301

A wonderful small-scale example of Los Castillo decorative arts, particularly desirable for its sculptural abalone bird, colorful enamel detail and beautifully aged mixed silver-and-brass surface. It works equally well as a collectible object, small vide-poche, jewelry bowl or accent on a cocktail table, console, desk or curated bookshelf.

Measurements:
5.25 in. diameter × 3 in. total height
2 in. height to bowl rim

Condition: Vintage condition consistent with age and use. The bowl was originally silver plated and has experienced substantial loss to the silver plating, exposing much of the underlying solid brass. Remaining silver, oxidation, patination, surface wear and scratches are visible throughout. These characteristics contribute to the authentic aged appearance of the piece. Please refer to the photographs for additional condition details.