Charles Loloma Silver and Multi-stone Band [R]

In 1955, Charles Loloma started making jewelry after a successful career of making stoneware pottery with his wife Otellie.  He experimented with lost wax, sandcasting and tufa casting.  He became inspired while studying ancient Hohokam mosaic jewelry.  It was then that he began creating gold and silver jewelry with exotic inlay materials.

 Loloma's impact on Indian jewelry design is unmistakable. He inspired a generation of young artists to express themselves in new and innovative ways. His own creations far exceeded anything being done by any other artist. His work ushered in a new era in Indian jewelry.  By 1970, his jewelry was finding a wide audience of collectors.  He had acquired a large national and international audience.  Interest in his jewelry has continued today even though he has been gone for over two decades.

This silver band is inlaid with turquoise, coral, gold and lapis and is signed with the artist's name.

Condition:  excellent condition.

Provenance: from a Santa Fe collector

Recommended Reading:  Loloma: Beauty is his Name by Martha Hopkins Struever