MONROVIA, Calif. – As demonstrated in their sale Feb. 9 sale, John Moran’s Made in Mexico is becoming a fan favorite. Collectors were eager to bid on many items that had never before been brought to auction from the private collection of Cindy Tietze-Hodosh and Stuart Hodosh. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.

Several pieces of eye-catching jewelry from the Hodosh collection found new owners and most of it came in above estimated values like the Antonio Pineda silver and lapis lazuli bracelet [above]. The eight Lapis Lazuli beads in a stunning blue color further enhance this cross-link bracelet. Lapis lazuli is a mixture of three different minerals, but it’s the Lazurite mineral that reacts with sulfur atoms to create the brilliant blue pigment that the stone is known for. The Pineda bracelet sold for $2,500, which was more than double its high estimate. Prices in this report do not reflect the buyer’s premium.

A Los Castillo silver and azure-malachite diving trophy [below] made quite the splash at auction. Also from the Hodosh collection, this unique piece features a diving figure in action and mounted on a rosewood base. The trophy sold for $2,400, blowing its $200-$400 estimate right out of the water.

Even though the Made in Mexico auction took place virtually, the excitement in the room had to register with the online audience as bidders competed for Figuras (Aguateras – Water Sellers) [Photo 3], an oil painting by Guatemalan artist, Roberto González Goyri (1924-2007). Goyri was a painter, sculptor and muralist. His work appeared at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and he was associated with the Generación del 40 (Generation of 1940) Movement. Already a favorite with the Moran’s staff, the painting was on display and positioned behind the auctioneer for the duration of the sale. Estimated in the $2,000-$3,000 range, the price realized was $14,000.

The excitement kept rolling with Mexican Silversmith Antonio Pineda’s rosewood and sterling silver flatware service [Photo 4] in his signature modern style. Born in Taxco, Mexico, Pineda was part of a small and selective group of silversmiths that were world-renowned during the 1940s-1970s. He studied briefly with contemporaries William Spratling and Valentin Vidauretta before developing the technically intricate and bold craftsmanship that he is known and celebrated for. This flatware service was realized at $16,000, more than double the estimate.

A William Spratling River of Life silver cuff bracelet [Photo 6] is a prime example of his design style incorporating waves and Aztec-inspired rings. It was estimated to bring $600-$800 at auction but brought $1,900.

The adorable William Spratling frog salt spoon  opened hopped from the $100-$200 estimate all the way to $650. William Spratling was known as the Father of Mexican silver, even though his design roots sprouted from architecture and the state of Alabama. He graduated and taught architecture at Alabama’s Auburn University, and for three summers William taught colonial architecture at the National University of Mexico. In 1931, after the Mexican Revolution, he was motivated to move to Taxco, Mexico and help reestablish their silver industry. His designs were derived from Pre-Columbian ornamentation and he hired local goldsmiths to fabricate them in silver.

A William Spratling River of Life silver cuff bracelet [Photo 6] is a prime example of his design style incorporating waves and Aztec-inspired rings. It was estimated to bring $600-$800 at auction but brought $1,900.

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