Horse Fetish Necklace “Wind Spirit” [SOLD]

Robert Kaniatobe (1936-1998), Choctaw Tribe, was well known for making marvelous necklaces comprised of a multitude of materials. This one focuses on horses carved from buffalo bone.

This necklace consists of three strands of small white pearl-color beads, ancient (1,000-years old) hand carved agate and granite, clay, shell, bone, burinut, brass, copper and sterling silver.  Also included are early (circa 1600s) glass and milk glass, ancient green lined glass and sandcast glass, and Picasso glass beads from the 1940s.  The horses were carved from buffalo bone and have brass eyes.  Each of the seven horses is detailed with carving on front and back.

Kaniatobe was born in Tom, Oklahoma, and attended Idabel Public Schools during his early years. He graduated from Chilocco Indian School, served in the U. S. Army in the Medical Corps and was stationed in Alaska and France. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from San Francisco State University. Robert said that a major stimulus for his art interest was his exposure to prehistoric and contemporary Eskimo art while stationed in Alaska.  He was also inspired by many museums and prehistoric cave art in France and Western Europe.

Robert specialized in designing and carving ivory fetish figures, designing silver art works and sculpting in clay. In the 1980s, he began putting his carved fossilized fetish carvings together with various beads and forming exquisite necklaces.

This necklace is circa 1990 and is in original excellent condition.

Commentary: Robert and his wife, Kristen, shared the building with Adobe Gallery in Old Town, Albuquerque, for a number of years, perhaps from around 1980 to 1990. They had the three rooms on the south end of the building and called their gallery The Iron Horse. Perhaps some of you remember them?

Condition: original condition

Recommended Reading:  The Forgotten Artist – Indians of Anza-Borrego and Their Rock Art by Manfred Knaak

Provenance: from the collection of a resident from Ohio who purchased it at Packard’s on the Plaza in Santa Fe.