Hi Lynne.

I’ve got a few spare minutes here and my Little Book Of Mexican Silver & Hallmarks. It may take a while but I’m more than happy to ID this for you if I can.

[URL removed] Hi Again Lynne. I have been through all 250+ pages in my Mexican Hallmark book and your mark is not in there. I looked at every single one. Being so distinctive I was hoping it would be. However, I’m wondering… just to the left of your hallmark is a vertical stamp. I tried to sharpen it up so it was readable but just couldn’t get it sharp enough. There is definitely something there. Do you think it’s possible to do a pencil rub on that to bring it out or is it too worn/too small?

SECOND [URL removed] ‘The Little Book Of Mexican Silver Trade And Hallmarks’ by Bille Hougart. New Revised Edition 2006. It’s a great little book. It’s been very helpful to me. Unfortunately it’s not helping you. Sorry, Lady. And not to beat a dead horse, but I really think there’s something there. I could enlarge it and sharpen it just enough to make out what I think is an M or W, an O or D and the other letters were just a no go. But it’s up to you :o)

THIRD [URL removed] Sorry that didn’t help or that I couldn’t help you Lynne. Someone may still come along that knows the mark. Don’t give up!

Good eye there Momzilla, I missed that vertical stamp. I can see a round mark like an O there and MW but that’s all I can make out. Maybe with some luck Lynne can get it sharper or something. I too looked thru all my usual sources and came up with “nada”.

[URL removed] I definitely see letters in that “bat”, something round and the M and W and can’t see the others past the W. To me the letters in the maker’s mark look like C and E. I’m not real good with those scripty letters either!! The C could be a G as you suggest though. It reads MADE IN MEXICO which is unusual, as we normally see HECHO EN MEXICO instead, the same but in Spanish. I noticed that immediately. I love Mexican jewelry and wish I could afford it!! Will keep an eye open as I research other items and will let you know if I see it.

Thanks Momzilla – I didn’t even notice that. But what you see is all there is. It looks like a baseball bat. Nothing on the other side of the brooch corresponds to that shape so it may very well be part of the hallmark but I have no idea what it would be for. I know that the maker’s mark is very distinct and I’m surprised that it isn’t mentioned either but maybe they just weren’t in business that long or they were working for someone else or maybe they just changed their branding mark. I’m terrible at those cursive letters but I see E G – what do you ladies see?

Thanks again for trying to help.

Which book do you have Momzilla?
Thanks for the title, I don’t think that’s the one I ordered today.

I put some pencil on the mark you spoke of and it looks more like scratches at the thick end. If it is part of the mark it has been rubbed down to almost nothing and just isn’t legible.

Oh well, I’ll keep looking.

[URL removed] Hi G – when I was doing the research there is a site that talks about different silver jewelry and has a section on Mexican silver and it said that Made in Mexico was common, along with the 980, between 1930 and 1940. I’ll see if I can get the exact wording. I guess whatever was on the bat was worn away. The sun has gone down but is still light out and I can make out what looks like ANI at the broad end but that’s it.

[URL removed] Thanks Froggie B – it may forever remain a mystery. I’m still waiting for the book I ordered to see if I can find it in there. I’ll let everyone know if it is.

I just looked on my favorite silver site and couldn’t find this mark either. However the info states that the 980 silver content mark is predominantly from the mid 30s to the mid 40s. Unfortunately there are a great many Mexico marks that are unidentified. That is an adorable donkey. I have several donkeys and seagulls that look like similar construction to this piece that I know from the owner are from the 40s.

The best place online to research silver marks is [URL removed] I have found the marks on many of my pieces here.