jewelry

The Philadelphia Show is fast approaching

The Philadelphia Show, sponsored by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, is only 2 weeks away! It opens with a Preview Party on Thursday, Aprii 27th, and continues with general admission Friday, April 28th through Sunday April 30th.

Philadelphia Show link

We are bringing an amazing array of fresh-to-the market baskets, pottery, textiles, beadwork and jewelry. These objects are coming out of various private collections who have entrusted us with the care and sale of their works.

Be sure not to miss seeing these items. We will endeavor to publish many but do not have the time to publish them all.

Feel free to let us know of your special interests and we will try to get you information.

Newly acquired basket and bracelet

We recently acquired a wonderful and unusual Yavapai basket that has a negative design. This basket is woven out of willow and devil’s claw and it has several very interesting features to it. The basket has a strong visual impact and is in excellent condition.

We also acquired an Antonio Pineda bracelet made out of 970 silver and onyx that came from a private collection. This bracelet is known as the “comma” bracelet and it clearly has a modernist feel, which is a characteristic of Antonio Pineda’s designs. The hallmarks date the bracelet to 1953-1979. Antonio Pineda was an important part of the Revival of Mexican arts that took place from the late 1930s-1979. Antonio Pineda achieved international fame and his works from that period are always desirable.

Please click the links below to learn more:

Hopi bracelet by Preston Monongye

We are excited to have recently acquired a dramatic and beautiful bracelet by Preston Monongye. Details are given in the attached link. There are several Dine (Navajo) bracelets from the early 20th century that we will also be posting.

In addition, we recently acquired numerous Woodlands and Southwestern items from the late 19th-early 20th centuries. We will be posting them as we get each photographed and written up so be sure to keep watch on our website!

Preston Monongye bracelet


Dine (Navajo) bracelet with repousse and crossed arrows (MC2268)

ANNOUNCING A SPECIAL SALE

We have been authorized by the consignor to offer two Tammy Garcia pots at a reduction of  20%. This is an amazing opportunity for you to acquire a pot by one of the most talented and widely recognized Native American artists working today. These pots are both exquisite and are early examples of Tammy's work.

This first pot  by Tammy Garcia, pictured below, is 5 3/4" diameter at its widest point by 7 1/2" high. Price has been reduced from $14,000. to $11,200. It was purchased at Gallery 10 in Santa Fe in 1993 (http://www.marcyburns.com/pottery-collection/elegant-black-jar-by-tammy-garcia):

The second pot by Tammy Garcia is pictured below. It is 5" diameter by 4 1/2" high. The price is now $10,000., reduced from $12,500. (http://www.marcyburns.com/pottery-collection/li3buwn62g2apof2nqrud3o5mxvbob)

Feel free to call or email if you have any questions.

Reminders and more...

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Zuni mosaic inlay earrings, attributed to John Leekity (John Gordon Leak)

The Palm Beach Jewelry, Art and Antique Show will be held February 14-17, 2015 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. I will be in Booth 207, sharing space with Schillay Fine Arts.

Please click HERE for a complimentary one day ticket for two.

If your collecting interests are in other categories like pottery, baskets, textiles and beadwork and you would like to see inventory that is not currently listed on our website, please contact us. We will send you photos and information.

If you wish and if we can do so, we will try to bring the object(s) with us.

OTHER NEWS:

We spoke to our dealer friends at the Winter Antiques Show. They all report strong interest and excellent sales. Looks like the market continues to make a healthy recovery!

 

Navajo (Dine') concho belts

Third Phase concho belt

Third Phase concho belt

Navajo concho belts 1930-1960

Navajo concho belts 1930-1960

Navajo concho belt, 1920s-1930s with repousse' and turquoise 

Navajo concho belt, 1920s-1930s with repousse' and turquoise 

1930s concho belt with arrows...probably made for Fred Harvey shops that were in the railroad stations

1930s concho belt with arrows...probably made for Fred Harvey shops that were in the railroad stations

Navajo concho belt, mid-20th century or possibly earlier.

Navajo concho belt, mid-20th century or possibly earlier.

Navajo concho belt 1930s-1950s

Navajo concho belt 1930s-1950s

The Navajo (Dine') learned how to work silver in the mid-nineteenth century.  They had long appreciated silver jewelry that they acquired from Southwestern Hispanics and Plains tribes but  it is generally believed that they did not learn how to make metal jewelry until circa 1850 when Atsidi Sani became friends with a Mexican smith named Nakai Tsosi. Tsosi  taught him how to work iron so that he could make bridles that he could sell to other Navajo. After the end of the Navajos' internment at Bosque Redondo near Fort Sumner in 1868, Nakai Tsosi taught Atsidi Sani how to smith silver for jewelry. He, in turn, taught his sons and other Navajos.

Another silversmith, Atsidi Chon, went to Zuni in 1872, where he taught Lanyade how to work silver. Other men in turn taught silversmithing in the 1870s to men in Acoma, Laguna, and Isleta.

One of the earliest forms of silver jewelry that the Navajo made were "conchos", also called "conchas", worn on leather belts. The form derives from Ute conchos that were worn as hair ornaments or long drops hanging from belts. By the late 19th century,  the Navajo began to set stone in the conches. These belts went on to become iconic and they continue to be made today.

The earliest concho belts were made out of hammered coin silver. Their designs progress through stages, beginning with an oval shape that was scalloped on the edges, elementary stamping and chiseling. The center of the First Phase concho was an open diamond or oval and the back had a copper loop through which a leather belt could pass.

As time went on, the designs became more elaborate. Note the Navajo concho belt that is pictured to the left: The center of the concho is now pushed out through repousse' work and the center of the concho is closed. In addition, a fine turquoise square stone has been added to the center. The concho is backed in some instances such as this with a leather backing.

The railroads arrived in the Southwest in the 1880s. The Fred Harvey Company opened shops in the railroad stations and provided a ready market for Navajo silver. As a result, silver smithing flourished and designs were elaborated, often reflecting Anglo taste. The concho belt to the left has arrows that are intricately worked into the design, an example of some of the high-quality Fred Harvey jewelry that was offered.

Concho belts continue to be worn and valued by the Navajo and Anglos alike. Quality work continues into contemporary times with a continuation and development of traditional designs. The belt to the left has beautiful repousse', wirework, and quality turquoise stones. It is hard to definitively date it. 

During the Depression through World War II and into the 1950s, the Navajo made concho belts that were not on leather, perhaps because of a shortage of leather. They are made out of sterling silver. They were made for sale. Most women had small waists at that time; thus many people wear this style as a necklace today.