Gold Overlay Sterling Story Bracelet [SOLD]

For aficionados of Native American jewelry, Vidal Aragon is a well-known name. His unique storytelling jewelry has been sought for decades by collectors of Native American jewelry. A blogpost from Four Winds Gallery in Pittsburg honored Vidal Aragon following his death in 2015. The following is an excerpt from the blogpost:

“Born in 1923 at Santo Domingo Pueblo, Vidal began his career in the 1930s studying jewelry making at the Santa Fe Indian School. Experimenting with traditional techniques such as tufa casting and lapidary work, he was already highly lauded for his artistry when he began innovating with his soon to be favored craft of silver overlay work. These pieces became famously known as storyteller designs.

“Without using pre-drawn sketches as his guide, his recognizable style features symbolism depicting scenes from traditional Pueblo life, incorporating animals, weather symbols and often a 14k gold sun or moon.

“A natural and charismatic storyteller himself, Vidal's ability to communicate transcended beyond spoken words and translated into jewelry in a way that has connected with countless wearers. In 1941, Vidal's work was featured in the New York Museum of Modern Art. His work has impacted and continues to impact generations of admirers.”

This Vidal Aragon storyteller bracelet consists of two layers. The top layer is 14K gold into which the artist precisely cut designs of three animals—a deer, a wolf and a bear. The animals wander through a desert landscape with pine trees and sage. At one point there is water and what seems to be birds flying overhead. The gold layer is then placed over silver and the silver is oxidized to create a striking contrast between the gold and silver. The bracelet is signed with Vidal Aragon’s bearpaw hallmark and initials VA.

In 1948, Maria Martinez’s son, Popovi Da opened the Popovi Da Studio at San Ildefonso Pueblo. He and his wife, Anita, ran the studio for decades. They featured and sold only the highest quality artwork. When the shop closed, this bracelet was part of the remaining inventory.   It was passed down to a granddaughter of Popovi and Anita, from whom we obtained it.

Condition: The Gold Overlay Sterling Story Bracelet is in like-new condition.

Provenance: From the inventory of Popovi Da Studio at San Ildefonso Pueblo, passed down to Popovi’s granddaughter.

Recommended Reading: North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment from Prehistory to Present by Lois Dubin