www.925-1000.com

Sterling silver marked TJ-19 Mex 925 and the swirly mark. Anyone know who this is?
Thank you for any help
Kim

Hello,

To begin with, the letter-number registration system was set into motion in 1980 - Present. The system was created to tax the silversmith / manufacturing company not to identify designers or artisans. And sadly enough, comparisons of many letter-number registration to particular silversmiths has proved to be very unreliable. At best several family members use the same stamp and at it's worst stamps get passed around or "borrowed" by other people. Therefore letter-number registration is highly unreliable to use for silversmith identification.

Mr. Bille Hougart, one of the leading authorities on Mexican silver identification has matched several pages worth of makers mark to letter-number stamps and in his reference there is no "TJ-19". The previous paragraph that I have written was paraphrased from his "speech" on page 272 from his book "The Little Book of Mexican Silver Trade and Hallmarks, Third Edition 2013".

What you do know from "TJ-19":
1. It was created in Taxco, Mexico from (1980-Present)
2. The silversmith's first or last name began with a "J"
3. They were the 19th person to register under "TJ"

What is interesting:
1. The design is BEAUTIFUL & not easy to replicate.
2. Being that it is such great craftsmanship a Silversmith might be registered under that "swirly mark", one worth searching for.

Overall: keep that bad boy and continue to search for it's maker, It's the thrill of the hunt!
I wish you the best.

-Alex

Thank you Alex,

Had been waiting to see how this post worked out. Was intrigued myself by the fine design. There are several smaller pieces out there stamped TJ-19 with the rope/knot design, none were identified. Although one post indicated at the initials AJ were in the center. Mark not shown. Other designs by AJ were also contemporary but different in design. Another post stated that AJ had also been seen on worked produced by Bernice Goodspeed.

Alex, does this make any sense to you?

Warren

Hello again!

I'm familiar with the work of Bernice Goodspeed, however if you research her biography on the 925-1000 archives : "She was active as a jeweler and silversmith until her death in 1971".

The letter number registration system was introduced after her death.

To further verify I used auction reference software to review the highest sold pieces by Bernice Goodspeed, typically the highest paid pieces will be the most reliable form of representation with regards to hallmarks / maker marks etc...
None of those pieces included number registration.
However Eagle stamp 28 is attributed to her along with a capital "B" in a circle.

I'm sorry but I am 99% sure it is not the work of Bernice Goodspeed.
But still, good luck with your search. If you have anymore possible leads feel free to post them here so we can brainstorm!

-Alex

Thanks again Alex,

Will spend some time getting aquinted with Goodspeed's style and work. Please allow me to take that thought in one more direction. Is it possible that AJ refers to a silversmith who worked with or directly for Bernice Goodspeed? Again have observed other modern/contemporary pieces that bore just AJ. Could AJ have been freelancing with his or her own designs while still attached to her atelier?

Your thoughts here.
Warren

Hello again!

Yes that is very possible. However at that point in this persons career (after B.G.'s death), if it is AJ, the connection to her is kind of weak. As you know the system is not that reliable and many silversmiths have been known to allow others to borrow their mark/registration.

The fact that the registration is "TJ" acknowledges that a silversmith with AJ could be the maker. Future research can be directed to the 1970-present era in search for Taxco makers.

I searched "The Little Book..." for AJ and found J Alvarez and this person was attributed to Taxco 925. So in light of that, if that is the right AJ, this person did do work in Taxco.

I also searched for silversmiths that shared Mrs. Goodspeed's Eagle 28.
- JFCM
- RAF
These two silversmiths came up alongside of her. Maybe they may have marks similar to that which is found on your necklace.

I'll be here for future brainstorming!

-Alex