Feathers and featherwork
Feathers of many birds and colors, sold in the markets of Mexico. Sahagún's informants say feather dealers were counted among the merchants, and green feathers were the most prized.
Good and Bad Sellers in the Market
Bernardino de Sahagún and his Nahua collaborators, General History of the Things of New Spain, book 10: eight trades, good and bad, edited by Carlos María de Bustamante (Mexico, 1830) · compiled from the 1550s to the 1570s; printed 1830
El oficial de plumas, se cuenta entre los mercaderes, y el que es buen oficial, tiene en mucho las plumas, las guarda, trata muy bien, su oficio es vender plumas estimadas de todos géneros de aves, de todos colores. Las plumas muy verdes, y las que son muy preciadas, tienen corbada la punta, y las que relumbran haciendo unas aguas como tornasol. Y el que no es tal hace plumas falsas, y las viejas nuevas con colores falsos.
The feather dealer is counted among the merchants. The good one values his feathers highly, stores them, and handles them with great care. His trade is selling prized feathers of every kind of bird and every color. The deep green feathers, the most precious ones, have curved tips, and some shimmer with changing colors like shot silk. The bad one makes false feathers, and makes old ones look new with false colors.