Hopi Narrow Band Silver Overlay Bracelet [SOLD]

The Hopi Arts & Crafts Co-op Guild was formed in 1947, after World War II, when returning Hopi servicemen were trained at a silversmithing school founded under the G.I. bill.  The late Paul Saufkie, Sr. was the technical instructor and the late Fred Kabotie, noted Hopi artist and designer, taught design. Although many techniques of silver work were used, the overlay style gradually emerged as the dominate style. This simple, unique, elegant jewelry is now considered essentially the Hopi style of jewelry.

Watson Honanie is noted for his intricate designs crafted in gold, although he started in silver.  His father passed away when he was a child so he was raised partly by his uncles, Fred Kabotie and Porter Timeche.  They gave him scraps of silver culled from the Guild and he apprenticed under Kabotie who was manager of the Guild at that time.

This bracelet is typical of the Hopi overlay silverwork.  A design is cut into a silver strip using a jeweler’s saw and then that strip is laid over another silver strip which has been oxidized.  Once finished, the two silver strips result in a Hopi overlay bracelet.

The bracelet is stamped with the “hand” hallmark of the artist.

Condition: original condition

Recommended Reading:  American Indian Jewelry I: 1,200 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery

Provenance: from a private collection