Featured Large signed Mexican pendants/brooches

Got these two Mexican brooches/pendants recently. Can’t find any info on Rosa Guaman. Not sure on the other name. Would these have been the former owners names or the maker would you think? Since they are both very similar I would think it may be the same maker with different owners names? They are quite large at about 5” diameter. Not silver it seems unfortunately. Any ideas on potential value for resale?

 

why Mexican?

 

Peruvian:

http://www.karlssonandwickman.com/ethnic-jewelry/south-americansilver-ornament

~Cheryl

 

A Tupu, or shawl fastener.

They are probably alpaca - nickel silver. But nice and old.

 

I agree...South American, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador. Alpaca...and they usually wore them as a pair. to fasten their shawls against the wind. The pins were worn facing forward mostly worn in pairs.

 

The one is (mis)spelled Otavalo so expect Ecuador as that's the country's most famous market town.

Debora

 

Thanks for all the great info guys!!! They were described as being Mexican by seller so I just went with that. There were several other erroneous descriptors. Looks like the old Ecuadorian jewelry doesn’t sell much. Luckily I only paid $20 each for them so hopefully if I give it some time and price them well they might move. Looks like there’s a lot of room between what I paid and what folks are asking.

 

So would you think first name of maker and town where made? Or first name of owner and town where they lived?

 

Early 19th?

 

They're a version of these with the pin element bent inward. Idk if that helps date them.



And I wondered if artisans signed their work that early? Possibly those are the names of the owners?

 

Seems darn near impossible to date them. They were made for thousands of years and things can survive so well in that region. If anyone has an idea let me know though. The Met has a really great bit of info on them here: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/309228