Pre-Columbian Huastec Mask with Azur Malachite

A pre-Columbian Huastec mask rendered in silver with azur-malachite, three cascabels hanging from its base, this brooch draws directly on the ancient Mexican heritage Spratling spent his life translating into modern silver. It is recorded in Reflections: Pre-Columbian Inspiration in Mexican Silver Design, the Spratling Silver Centennial Edition, and Phyllis M. Goddard's field guide, with wholesale prices of $17.60 in both 1958-59 and 1967.

The specific source is documented: Spratling's own collection of pre-Columbian clay masks of the "Smiling People," the Remojadas figures he illustrated in his book More Human than Divine, inspired this design. Taking such a motif from ancient ceramics and rendering it in silver and native stone for a modern audience is the heart of Spratling's method, which Stromberg describes as translating pre-Columbian forms into a style accessible to an American clientele (Stromberg, p. 27).

The design has been reissued, so correct hallmarks matter for vintage examples. A brooch with a documented pre-Columbian source and this depth of literature is among the most resonant of Spratling's figural work, sought by collectors who follow his engagement with Mexico's ancient heritage.