William Spratling
Box (Caja)1949-1951

Not on view

Artist or Maker: William Spratling
United States, active Mexico, 1900-1967
Title: Box (Caja)
Date Made: 1949-1951
Medium: Silver, tortoiseshell
Dimensions: 1 1/8 × 3 3/4 × 2 5/8 in. (2.86 × 9.5 × 6.67 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Ronald A. Belkin, Long Beach, California
Accession Number: M.2015.190.6
Classification: Furnishings
Collecting Area: Latin American Art
Curatorial Notes: While William Spratling is best known for his work with silver, this box features a tortoiseshell mosaic on its lid. The tortoiseshell diamonds are punctuated by silver beads, which repeat around the box’s sides. Polished tortoiseshell attains a high sheen that complements that of the silver, while its dark patterns contrast with the light metal.

Trained as an architect, Spratling moved from New Orleans to Taxco, Mexico, where he established his first silver workshop in 1931. Working alongside master silversmiths and local apprentices, in 1935 he opened his famed Taller de Las Delicias, which attracted a cohort of international artists, intellectuals, and Hollywood celebrities. Spratling’s emphasis on craftsmanship and his experimentation with different sources, including Mesoamerican art, Art Deco, and modernism, contributed to his great success and helped revitalize the Mexican silver industry.

Rachel Kaplan

2025
Copyright: © artist or artist's estate

Not on view

Artist or Maker: William Spratling
United States, active Mexico, 1900-1967
Title: Box (Caja)
Date Made: 1949-1951
Medium: Silver, tortoiseshell
Dimensions: 1 1/8 × 3 3/4 × 2 5/8 in. (2.86 × 9.5 × 6.67 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Ronald A. Belkin, Long Beach, California
Accession Number: M.2015.190.6
Classification: Furnishings
Collecting Area: Latin American Art
Curatorial Notes: While William Spratling is best known for his work with silver, this box features a tortoiseshell mosaic on its lid. The tortoiseshell diamonds are punctuated by silver beads, which repeat around the box’s sides. Polished tortoiseshell attains a high sheen that complements that of the silver, while its dark patterns contrast with the light metal.

Trained as an architect, Spratling moved from New Orleans to Taxco, Mexico, where he established his first silver workshop in 1931. Working alongside master silversmiths and local apprentices, in 1935 he opened his famed Taller de Las Delicias, which attracted a cohort of international artists, intellectuals, and Hollywood celebrities. Spratling’s emphasis on craftsmanship and his experimentation with different sources, including Mesoamerican art, Art Deco, and modernism, contributed to his great success and helped revitalize the Mexican silver industry.

Rachel Kaplan

2025