Incorporating graceful lines and rosewood handles, this tea set is considered one of William Spratling’s most elegant designs, and examples were typically made to order. Comprised of nine individual pieces—including a tray, coffee pot, teapot, creamer, and sugar bowl—the set was awarded first prize by the Bank of Mexico, recognizing Spratling’s long-standing prominence in Mexico’s thriving silver industry.
Spratling relocated from New Orleans to Taxco, where he established a workshop in 1931, working closely with master silversmiths and young apprentices to reinvigorate the local economy. He gifted this particular tea set to Antonio Castillo (1917–2000), which Castillo used until his death in 2000. Castillo began his career as an apprentice in Spratling’s Taller de Las Delicias before leaving to establish his own workshop, Los Castillo, with his brothers. A gift between silversmiths, this tea set highlights their long-lasting bond.
Shannon Vittoria
2025