Mexican 980 Silver Rose Brooch

This delicate brooch is marked 980, meaning it is made of 98 percent pure silver.  As we know from previous posts, Sterling silver only consists of 92.5 percent pure silver.  This piece has a beautiful patina (a color change resulting from age which can add value to an item).  I believe it was made in the 1930s. 

I was hoping this brooch was made by William Spratling, the famous silversmith who worked and lived in Taxco, Mexico, as he used often used 980 silver.  The hallmark on this pin matches one of his tertiary marks (a mark that denotes silver content).  Unfortunately, other silversmiths used the exact "980" hallmark as Spratling, and this piece did not have a primary mark Spratling insisted was placed on the pieces he designed. 

Feel free to contact me if you are interested in purchasing this piece.  Questions, comments, and additional information are always appreciated.  My online shop on www.rubylane.com is coming soon.

Thank you to the following website(s) for the historical content of this blog post:

Modern Silver. Retrieved 4/7/2011 from http://www.modernsilver.com/Williamspratlinghallmarks.htm

Your Dictionary. Retrieved 4/7/2011 from http://www.yourdictionary.com/patina