Luxist Giveaway: Margot van Voorhies--The Art of Mexican Enamelwork

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Jan 28th 2011 at 10:01AM

Margot van Voorhies--The Art of Mexican Enamelwork the latest title from Schiffer Publishing, is a lavish art book that showcases the work of one amazing and prolific jewelry designer. Van Voorhies created a jewelry company, Margot de Taxco, in Taxco Mexico in 1947 producing a stunning amount of intricate and now highly collectible pieces in silver with semiprecious stones and brilliantly colored enamel.

Her story isn't just one of a designer but as a woman of the early 20th century, finding her way as both an entrepreneur and an artist. She was, in many ways ahead of her time, living as an independent woman and making choices that were outside societal norms. In 1937, after the murder of her mother and a divorce, she moved from San Francisco to Mexico. She had previously worked as a cosmetologist but found new work in a photography shop and in 1938 she married Antonio Castillio (who was 20 years her junior) and moved to Taxco. Castillo was a silversmith working for William Spratling and after the marriage, Castillo and his new bride established their own workshop. Influenced by the Mayan aesthetic as well as other regional imagery, van Voorhies created silver jewelry sets that quickly drew attention and business. In 1947, Margot created her own business, Margot de Taxco, where she continued to innovate in silver and champlevé. It was under this new label that she envisioned some of her most elaborate and memorable designs.

At this point the story becomes not only Margot's but also that of the maestro silversmiths she worked with. The author, Dr. Penny Morrill has developed a history of modern Mexican silver through her research, writings, and teaching at George Mason University. She has established the Spratling-Taxco Collection at Tulane University's Latin American Library to further the study of Mexico's silver tradition and innovation and she adeptly navigates the complicated business history of van Voorhies and surrounding businesspeople and artists. Sadly, the story of the Margot de Taxco line does not end well. After a strike by workers in 1974, the business went deeper and deeper into debt and in 1977 Margot went into bankruptcy. Everything was auctioned off. Many of the dies for her designs in silver or enamel were bought by silversmiths Manuel Quinto, Meliccio Rodriquez and Benjamin Santarriaga. Reproduction Margot de Taxco pieces can be found online today. The last chapter of the book highlights contemporary Mexican enamelists, the artistic heirs of the Margot de Taxco legacy.

The book serves both as a biography and an art book. It's a well-researched jewelry history but also contains 485 brilliant photographs and includes an appendix that features the drawings for many of the Margot de Taxco designs. The book sells for $49.99 and can be purchased through the publisher at www.schifferbooks.com as well as at your local bookseller or through online retailers. Today I'm giving away the review copy I received to one reader chosen at random.

* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before February 4, 2011 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive a copy of Margot Van Voorhies: The Art of Mexican Enamelwork which has a retail price of $49.99.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete giveaway rules here.

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you for your participation.

Tags: art books, collectible silver, luxist giveaway, margot de taxco, mexican silver, taxco

Filed under: Jewelry, Books

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Greg Jan 28th 2011 10:11AM

The Art of Mexican Enamelwork...that is one sexy read!

Jonathan Jan 28th 2011 11:21AM

Nice art book.

boggi Jan 28th 2011 1:26PM

Show me the enamel

HduBYa Jan 28th 2011 12:21PM

Enamel Jewely is hard to come by nowadays, this book looks fasinating!

Rebecca Jan 28th 2011 2:19PM

I went to Taxco years ago and silver was everywhere, but I don't remember seeing much enamel. That's a shame, because it looks fantastic!

Jason Mann Jan 28th 2011 3:25PM

I like.

booboo45666 Jan 28th 2011 5:22PM

Looks interesting.

aslan4real Jan 28th 2011 5:33PM

I would love to have this.

aslan4real Jan 28th 2011 5:35PM

not sure if it worked the first time.

sgschm Jan 28th 2011 5:44PM

How nice!

VoorhiesAnn Jan 28th 2011 6:55PM

Would like to have a copy for the VanVoorhees collection. In addition to her stunning jewelry designs Margot's life story and her use of the VanVoorhees name make exceedingly interesting reading.

Chase Jan 28th 2011 8:57PM

Herrro.

Kathy Jan 29th 2011 5:14PM

This looks like a good read!

Sallie Jan 30th 2011 9:42AM

Margot de Taxco was one of a small number of women who were part of the revival of traditional artisan-crafted silver in Taxco, begun by William Spratling. Her story is as wonderful as the jewelry she created. I'm glad you reviewed this book.

Sumit Jan 29th 2011 10:29PM

I'd love to win this!

Molly Jan 30th 2011 11:03AM

Can't wait to read it!

Common Sense Jan 30th 2011 11:50AM

These designs transform Aztec art to modern jewelry. They maintain the closeness of hand made art to the natural world through bold lines and subjects. The object is the study with thick shapes denoting a terrestrial closeness, rather than the dreamy, fine lines of northern hemisphere creations.