Mexican Modernist Silver Obsidian Four-piece Jewelry Suite Taxco Antonio Pineda

A bespoken Mexican sterling silver and obsidian jewelry suite by Taxco silversmith Antonio Pineda post 1956. The set, sometimes known as cascading crescent, consists of a choker necklace, a pair of earrings and a bracelet. The design features articulated crescent-shaped silver inlayed with black obsidian stone with chain links that allow movement. The joint clasps on the necklace and bracelet work well. The earrings have screw clip-on mechanism. Marks on the all pieces as shown including ANTONIO (crown), 970, SILVER, (eagle-17), HECHO EN MEXICO, YY456.
The inner circumference of the choker is approximately 14.1"; The inner circumference of the bracelet is 7 in; The suite weighs 222 grams (gross).
Antonio Pineda (1919-2009) is one of the most celebrated modernist silver artists emerged from Mexico. At age 11 he had a brief apprenticeship in the Taxco silver jewelry workshop of U.S. designer and entrepreneur William Spratling, who had moved to the area in the late 1920s. Pineda later apprenticed with Mexico City painter and silversmith Valentin Vidauretta. He was involved in mining and worked in sales and management at Spratling’s workshop before opening his own silver jewelry workshop in 1939. At his peak, Pineda employed nearly 100 other silversmiths. A major turning point in his career came in 1944 when his work was included in an exhibition at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. Richard Gump, heir to the city’s exclusive department store Gump’s, purchased the 160 pieces in Pineda’s collection and offered to sell his designs exclusively. Other partnerships followed in Mexico, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.
His work is known for its modernist take on Mexican heritage and especially noted for his innovative techniques used to create functional aspect of the silver such as articulated chain link, claps and closure, which are all exemplified in this lovely piece.
This set, marked by his crown brand, which he started using after 1953, showcases a definitely modernism flair combined with a unique Mexican cultural heritage, as obsidian was considered an important stone for indigenous American societies.