Hopi Pueblo Sterling Silver Overlay Bracelet [SOLD]

Manuel Hoyungowa is from the village of Hotevilla on Third Mesa and has been an active silversmith at Hopi since the 1970s.  He specializes in the traditional Hopi overlay technique but has produced some jewelry with coral and turquoise, more in the style of Navajo work.  He is a nephew of Preston Monongye, another famous Hopi artisan.

Hoyungowa is a master silversmith which is evident in his silver overlay jewelry and is quite obvious in the design work of this bracelet.  In Hopi overlay work, the design is first cut out of the silver strip with a jeweler’s saw and then that strip of silver is overlaid on another strip which has been oxidized to the color black.

The bracelet is stamped with the artist’s rain cloud hallmark.

Recommended Reading:  The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry by Theda Bassman.  (One example of Hoyungwa’s jewelry shown).  One copy of this book is available from Adobe Gallery.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: from a gentleman from Colorado