Bell with Mayan Type Handle

A bell with a Mayan-type handle, ringed by a circlet of small silver balls and known as the Colonial bell, joins Spratling's interest in pre-Columbian form with the everyday object of a table or service bell. The handle's Mayan styling carries the ancient reference, while the band of applied beads is a recurring Spratling finishing touch.

The Mayan handle reflects the pre-Columbian sources Spratling drew on throughout his career, ancient form serving as a point of departure for new work (Morrill, pdf p. 39). Forming the circlet of small silver balls draws on the bead-making that was a staple workshop skill (Morrill, p. 36). The bell is recorded in Morrill's William Spratling and the Mexican Silver Renaissance: Maestros de Plata.

Silver bells of this design come to market only occasionally, and the Mayan handle with its beaded circlet marks it as Spratling's own.