Beautiful but Expensive

If you are looking for high quality Mexican handicrafts, and not just some cheap tourist knickknacks, the place to go is to one of the FONART stores.  FONART (The National Fund for the Promotion of Handicrafts) is a government agency that supports the preservation of traditional popular arts.  The merchandise in their stores represents the best work of Mexican craftsmen and artists,

The two FONART stores on Patriotismo Avenue and Paseo de la Reforma have been closed, and they have been replaced by a store at Los Pinos Cultural Center in Chapultepec and a newly opened store in the Historic Center.  The newest store is located in a portion of an 18th century colonial palace.  Last week I went to check out the store.

 

Many of the pieces are beautiful museum quality works of art with high prices to match.  But really when you consider the craftsmanship and consider what similar items would cost in a fine arts shop in the U.S., the prices are not bad.

I collect jaguars figures, but this big, black jaguar from the town of Amantenango del Valle in the state of Chiapas is too large for my apartment, and its price would be a splurge.  It costs around 7000 pesos, or about 400 U.S. dollars.

Even larger is this jaguar from the same town.  It is around 13,500 pesos, or about 790 dollars.

The town of San Bartolo de Coyotepec in the state of Oaxaca is renowned for its black pottery.  This lovely piece is priced at 2800 pesos, or about 160 dollars.

This enormous piece of pottery from Michoacán is 11,500 pesos... 670 dollars.

This large "pineapple" pot, also from Michoacán, costs 10,000 pesos, about 580 dollars.

I have a couple of small, hand-hammered copper vases from the town of Santa Clara del Cobre in the state of Michoacán.  However they did not cost as much as this large piece which sells for about 15,500 pesos or 900 dollars.

I loved this vase from Guanajuato decorated with butterflies... but not enough to pay more than 5,400 pesos (about 315 dollars).

Lest I discourage anyone from shopping at the FONART stores, not everything is high priced.  Although I didn't buy anything on this visit, I usually find something I like that is more affordable.  

This lovely lacquerware box from the state of Guerrero is 622 pesos, about 36 dollars.

These dolls from Amealco, Querétaro, cost 295 pesos, about 17 dollars.

And these hand-painted clay Christmas tree ornaments from Tonalá, Jalisco, are only 50 pesos each, less than 3 dollars.