Taxco Appraisal

Mid-Century Los Castillo Taxco Metales Casados Mosaic Cup

This is a vintage Mexican art metal cup or jigger, likely produced by the renowned workshop Los Castillo in Taxco, Mexico. The piece utilizes the 'Metales Casados' (married metals) technique, where various metals such as brass, copper, and silver-tone alloys are fused together without solder. The exterior is further embellished with a vibrant stone mosaic inlay featuring lapis lazuli (blue), malachite or dark stone (black), and possible mother-of-pearl or white onyx (white). The design depicts a stylized, modernist figure—possibly a musician or harvester—rendered in mixed metal brass tones against a blue and white mosaic background. The central figure has a reddish copper-granulated texture on the torso. The cup features a polished brass rim and a stepped footed base. The craftsmanship displays the high-quality handwork synonymous with mid-20th-century Taxco metalwork, specifically the period between 1950 and 1970. Regarding condition, the piece shows a heavy golden patina and surface oxidation on the brass, which is consistent with age. There are no obvious missing stone tesserae in the mosaic from this angle, though the metal shows light surface scratches and minor pitting. The interior appears as a tarnished brass or silver-plate finish over copper.