Silver Band with Coral Sun Flower Arrangement [SOLD]

Coral was introduced to the Southwest by the Spaniards but was not used extensively until the late 1930s, when traders imported it to Zuni Pueblo. Most coral used in the Southwest came from the Mediterranean. Both Pueblo and Navajo artisans have worked with coral. This necklace is most likely of Navajo origin because of its style.

Coral reefs are under stress around the world. Coral mining, agricultural and urban runoff, pollution, overfishing, blast fishing, disease, and digging of canals and access into islands and bays are localized threats to coral ecosystems. Broader threats are sea temperature rise, sea level rise and pH changes from ocean acidification, all associated with greenhouse gas emissions. In 1998, 16% of the world's reefs died as a result of increased water temperature. General estimates show approximately 10% of the world's coral reefs are dead and about 60% of the world's reefs are at risk due to human-related activities. The threat to reef health is particularly strong in Southeast Asia, where 80% of reefs are endangered. Over 50% of the world's coral reefs may be destroyed by 2030; as a result, most nations protect them through environmental laws.  Many governments now prohibit removal of coral from reefs.

The Native jewelry with coral is vintage since coral cannot be mined any longer.  This bracelet is of the style from the 1960s-1970s eras when it was legal to acquire fresh coral.

Each of the five coral cabs was cut in cat’s eyes shape and mounted as the center of a silver design representing a flower, somewhat in a shadowbox setting.  The foundation of the Silver Band with Coral Sun Flower Arrangement was made from two silver strips spaced apart under the flowers and soldered at the ends.

Condition: original condition

Provenance: from the collection of a family from Santa Fe

Recommended Reading: Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone by Lois Jacka, et al.