DecortypeLacquerware › Painted Lacquer

Mexican laca (Olinalá & Pátzcuaro)

Americas tradition · 5 examples · indicative market tier: Under $500 (entry level & living craft)

Mexican lacquerware (laca or maque in Mexican Spanish) is one of the country's oldest crafts, having independent origins from Asian lacquerware. In the pre-colonial period, a greasy substance from the aje larvae and/or oil from the chia seed were mixed with powdered minerals to create protective coatings and decorative designs. During this period, the process was almost always applied to dried gourds, especially to make the cups that Mesoamerican nobility drank chocolate from. Wikipedia →

Types & examples

Olinala112
Olinala112
Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Olinala035
Olinala035
Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Olinala036
Olinala036
Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Olinala011
Olinala011
Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Olinala032
Olinala032
Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Where to buy

1stDibsHigh-end antiques & design marketplaceBrowse listings → LiveAuctioneersAggregated live auctions worldwideBrowse listings → InvaluableAuction-house listings & price archiveBrowse listings → Christie'sMajor-auction results & upcoming salesBrowse listings → EtsyLiving artisans & vintage dealersBrowse listings → eBayBroad secondary market — vet sellers carefullyBrowse listings →

Each link opens a live, image-rich search for this craft on that marketplace. Listings rotate constantly; authenticate significant pieces independently — attribution quality varies widely outside museum collections.