Zuni rainbow god pin
made out of sterling silver, spiny oyster (spandela shell), turquoise, onyx, and mother of pearl.
elaborate channel inlay and silver work
circa 1930s
excellent condition
(J1773) 

CG Wallace, the trader at Zuni, brought Navajo silversmiths to Zuni. These Navajo silversmiths worked in collaboration with the best of the Zuni artists, producing elaborate and high-quality works. 

The Zuni began to make jewelry with inlay in the 1930s. Their lapidary work is so precise that the best artists were able to cleanly fit the stones directly next to each other or alternatively, to set the stones in "channels" made of silver. This pin is among the finest examples of this classic genre.