Why Is Hector Aguilar Silver So Collectible? | Taxco Silver Guide
In this Article
Who Was Hector Aguilar?
What Made Hector Aguilar’s Designs Distinct?
Why Design Matters More Than Silver Weight
Why the American Market Mattered
Hector Aguilar, Coro, and Wartime Production
How to Identify Hector Aguilar Silver
Does 940 Silver Make Hector Aguilar More Valuable?
What Types of Hector Aguilar Silver Are Most Collectible?
Why Earlier Hector Aguilar Pieces Can Be More Desirable
Condition and Value
Why New Buyers Still Respond to Hector Aguilar
Why Is Hector Aguilar Silver So Collectible?
Selling or Consigning Hector Aguilar Silver
Frequently Asked Questions
Hector Aguilar silver is collectible for much the same reason the best Taxco silver is collectible: the value goes far beyond the metal itself.
But Aguilar’s story is distinct.
After leaving William Spratling’s workshop in 1939, Aguilar founded Taller Borda, where he developed a style that was bold, sculptural, technically ambitious, and increasingly international in reach. His workshop produced jewelry, flatware, hollowware, copper objects, military pieces, and commercial designs for the American market. During World War II, Taller Borda expanded dramatically and became one of Taxco’s major workshops.
At Stephen’s, the first thing we look at is still the hallmark.
“The hallmark gives you an idea of where the piece falls in his career.”
But when asked what ultimately matters most to buyers, the answer is even simpler:
“The design.”
That combination of identifiable workshop history and distinctive design is a large part of what makes Hector Aguilar silver so collectible today.
Who Was Hector Aguilar?
Hector Aguilar was born in Mexico in 1905 and came to Taxco after a varied early career that included work as a guide. In 1937, he joined William Spratling’s Las Delicias as a manager.
Two years later, Aguilar left and established his own workshop, Taller Borda, with several craftsmen who had also worked within Spratling’s circle.
The connection to Spratling matters, but Aguilar quickly developed an identity of his own.
Taller Borda grew into a substantial operation producing jewelry, flatware, hollowware, copper and brass objects, and larger decorative pieces. The workshop also employed specialized maestros and designers, making it a collaborative enterprise rather than simply a one-man studio.
What Made Hector Aguilar’s Designs Distinct?
Aguilar’s work shares some visual DNA with Spratling, particularly in its use of Mexican historical sources and substantial hand-wrought silver.
But his designs often feel heavier, more sculptural, and more architectural.
He drew inspiration from:
Pre-Columbian art
Aztec and Mixtec imagery
Architecture
Tropical flowers
Animals
Repeated geometric forms
Mexican decorative traditions
The resulting pieces often have strong mass, deeply modeled surfaces, articulated construction, and a sense of physical weight.
The Museum of Mexican Silver describes Aguilar’s work as especially known for heavy jewelry, chased and repoussé floral forms, flatware, and copper and brass objects.
Stephen points to another important distinction:
“One thing I like about Aguilar is that he did not limit himself to silver. He worked with mixed metals and copper.”
Aguilar also frequently used applied silver balls, braided bands, repeated links, and articulated sections. Some pieces are substantial without feeling crude, balancing weight with movement and femininity.
That balance is part of what makes his work immediately recognizable.
Why Design Matters More Than Silver Weight
Aguilar frequently worked in silver of high purity, including pieces marked 940, meaning 940 parts silver per thousand.
That is higher than sterling silver, which is 925 parts per thousand.
But the 940 mark is not what makes a Hector Aguilar piece valuable.
At Stephen’s, its primary usefulness is identification and dating:
“For identification and dating.”
Collectors are generally paying for the design, period, craftsmanship, rarity, and historical importance of the object rather than simply the quantity of silver it contains.
This is why two Aguilar pieces of similar weight can have very different market values.
Why the American Market Mattered
Aguilar founded Taller Borda at a pivotal moment.
World War II disrupted the supply of European goods to the United States. American retailers and manufacturers increasingly looked to Mexico for jewelry, decorative objects, and other products.
Taxco was well positioned to meet that demand.
Taller Borda expanded rapidly during the war, reportedly growing to more than 300 artisans.
Aguilar also secured relationships with major American retailers, including:
Saks Fifth Avenue
Neiman Marcus
Gump’s
Filene’s
These relationships helped bring Taxco silver to a much broader American audience.
The timing was especially favorable because Aguilar’s visual language aligned well with the increasingly bold jewelry styles of the 1940s: larger forms, strong silhouettes, articulated construction, and designs that made an immediate visual impact.
The war opened the market.
Aguilar’s design made the work desirable.
And Taller Borda had the scale to meet demand.
This is one of the clearest distinctions between collectible silver and silver valued primarily for its metal content.
Hector Aguilar, Coro, and Wartime Production
One of the most interesting chapters in Aguilar’s career is his relationship with Coro, one of the largest American costume-jewelry companies of the period.
Gerald Rosenberger, associated with Coro, became an important commercial and financial partner of Taller Borda. During the war, the workshop produced objects for the American market that included:
Military insignia
Identification bracelets
Bombardier wings
Jewelry
Commercial decorative objects
The partnership also extended into costume jewelry, allowing Taller Borda to participate in a market affected by wartime restrictions and shortages of precious materials.
Specialist hallmark references document Coro marks used on jewelry manufactured by Aguilar under contract during approximately the mid-1940s.
This matters to collectors because not every Aguilar-related object is marked simply “HA.”
A piece connected to his workshop may instead carry a Coro mark, Taller Borda mark, or another combination associated with a particular production period.
As Stephen explains:
“Many sellers don’t realize how many different facets Aguilar’s career had. They may not know about his partnership with Coro or that they should be looking for a ‘Coro Made in Mexico’ mark.”
How to Identify Hector Aguilar Silver
Hallmarks are especially important with Aguilar because they help place an object within a specific period of his career.
Early Taller Borda pieces may carry combinations including:
HA
Taxco
940
990
Sterling
Made in Mexico
Later pieces may include:
Taller Borda
Eagle assay marks
Stylized HA marks
Coro marks on contracted production
The mark chronology changed repeatedly during the life of the workshop. Specialist references document several HA variations, 940 and 990 fineness marks, Coro marks from the 1940s, and later eagle assay marks.
At Stephen’s, this chronology is one of the first things considered:
“Each mark represents a distinct period of design in his career.”
That does not mean the hallmark determines value by itself.
The mark should agree with the design, materials, construction, workmanship, and known history of the object.
Does 940 Silver Make Hector Aguilar More Valuable?
Not necessarily.
The 940 mark refers to silver purity, but collectors generally use it primarily as an identification and dating clue.
Aguilar also used other standards during different periods, including sterling and some documented 990 marks.
A 940 stamp alone cannot establish authenticity or value.
A stronger evaluation considers the entire object:
Hallmark
Period
Design
Materials
Construction
Condition
Rarity
Provenance
Comparable market results
What Types of Hector Aguilar Silver Are Most Collectible?
Jewelry remains the most common entry point.
Bracelets, necklaces, brooches, rings, and articulated forms give buyers an immediate introduction to Aguilar’s design language.
But interest often broadens from there.
Stephen explains:
“Most people discover Aguilar through the jewelry. As they become more interested in his work, they are more likely to seek out hollowware.”
That makes sense given the breadth of Taller Borda’s production.
Collectors may also pursue:
Flatware
Bowls
Trays
Pitchers
Tea and coffee services
Copper and mixed-metal pieces
Decorative objects
Lighting
Furniture and larger design objects
The progression from jewelry to hollowware is also a useful indication of how collectors often develop: they begin with an object they simply like, then start exploring the broader range of Aguilar’s career.
Why Earlier Hector Aguilar Pieces Can Be More Desirable
Period matters.
Earlier examples are generally scarcer, and collectors building more developed collections may seek pieces from specific workshop periods or with marks they do not already own.
Stephen explains:
“Collectors with a broader collection are more likely to seek earlier periods, especially when they are trying to fill gaps or find pieces they don’t already own.”
And when asked what separates an average piece from one serious collectors compete for:
“Period. Like most things, the earlier the period of creation, the rarer the piece tends to be.”
This does not mean every early piece is automatically more valuable than every later one.
Design remains critical.
An especially strong later design may attract more attention than an unremarkable earlier object. But rarity, period, and hallmark chronology can materially affect collector interest.
Condition and Value
Condition can significantly affect Hector Aguilar silver.
The same issues that matter with other important Taxco designers apply here:
Dings
Dents
Missing stones
Deep scratches
Poor repairs
Replaced components
Altered surfaces
Excessive polishing
Distorted hinges or articulated sections
Wear is normal in vintage silver, especially in objects intended to be worn or used.
The key question is whether the piece retains its original design, materials, construction, and surface character.
Those complications eventually contributed to the decline of Spratling’s original company. By that point, however, the Taxco silver industry had already taken hold.
Why New Buyers Still Respond to Hector Aguilar
One of the more interesting changes Stephen’s has observed is that many contemporary buyers do not begin as dedicated Taxco collectors.
They begin because they like the object.
“I think today buyers are buying more for aesthetics than for collection-building. They may become collectors, but the majority are first-time buyers.”
That may actually explain Aguilar’s continuing appeal.
His work does not require a buyer to understand every hallmark or workshop period before responding to it.
The scale, weight, movement, mixed materials, and sculptural quality are immediately visible.
A buyer may discover Hector Aguilar because of a bracelet.
Later, they may begin looking for hollowware, earlier marks, unusual materials, or rarer workshop periods.
The design creates the entry point.
The history creates the collection.
Why Is Hector Aguilar Silver So Collectible?
When Stephen was asked to answer the question in one sentence, his response was:
“Elegance of design.”
That may be the simplest explanation.
Aguilar combined substantial craftsmanship with a design language that could move between Mexican historical references, modern jewelry, hollowware, mixed metals, and international retail.
Taller Borda could produce hand-wrought jewelry, military insignia, costume jewelry, flatware, and decorative objects while supplying major American retailers and employing hundreds of artisans.
That breadth makes Hector Aguilar more than another important Taxco name.
His workshop also occupied a remarkable place in Taxco history.
His work represents the moment when Mexican silver design proved it could succeed on an international stage without losing its own visual identity.
Selling or Consigning Hector Aguilar Silver
Stephen’s regularly evaluates vintage Taxco silver, including works by Hector Aguilar and Taller Borda.
When reviewing a possible Aguilar piece, we consider:
Hallmark
Workshop period
Design
Materials
Construction
Coro or Taller Borda association
Condition
Rarity
Comparable sales
Current collector demand
Clear photographs of the front, back, hallmark, closures, hinges, stones, mixed-metal elements, and areas of wear or repair are especially useful when requesting an evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hector Aguilar silver always marked 940?
No. Aguilar used several marks and silver standards during different periods. Early pieces are often associated with 940 marks, but sterling, 990, Taller Borda, Coro, and eagle assay marks also appear in documented production.
What does 940 mean on Hector Aguilar silver?
It indicates silver that is approximately 940 parts pure silver per thousand. For collectors, the mark is especially useful for identification and dating rather than as a standalone measure of value.
Did Hector Aguilar work for William Spratling?
Yes. Aguilar joined Spratling’s Las Delicias in 1937 as a manager before leaving in 1939 to establish Taller Borda.
What was Taller Borda?
Taller Borda was the Taxco workshop founded by Hector Aguilar in 1939. It produced jewelry, flatware, hollowware, copper and brass objects, and wartime production for the American market. During World War II it reportedly employed more than 300 artisans.
Why are some Hector Aguilar pieces marked Coro?
Taller Borda manufactured jewelry under contract with Coro during the 1940s. These pieces may carry Coro or Coro Made in Mexico marks rather than a conventional HA hallmark.
What Hector Aguilar pieces are most collectible?
Early-period jewelry, unusual designs, articulated bracelets and necklaces, rare hallmarks, mixed-metal works, and important hollowware can attract strong collector interest. The individual design, rarity, period, condition, and provenance all affect value.
Is Hector Aguilar silver worth more than its melt value?
Authentic collectible examples usually derive much of their value from design, authorship, rarity, period, and craftsmanship rather than silver content alone.
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