Turquoise and Hieshe Nugget Necklace with Leo Poblano Fetishes [SOLD]

This necklace is comprised of two strands of shell hieshe interspersed with turquoise nuggets and turquoise fetishes.  The fetishes have been identified as having been made by Leo Poblano. There are 30 fetishes on the necklace, some of which are bright green turquoise and some are dark green.  Interspersed between the fetishes are drilled turquoise nuggets.  A pair of jaclas is suspended from the necklace and the green turquoise of the jaclas compliments the green stones and fetishes of the necklace.  The necklace is strung on string with a worn pueblo wrap at the neck.  The necklace appears to be quite old but it is difficult to place a date on it.

Leo Poblano (1905-1959) was a master at the technique of mosaic inlay work. His friendship with Zuni trader C. G. Wallace was instrumental in his getting the finest turquoise and other stones for his work. After World War II, Poblano returned to Zuni Pueblo and served as a firefighter. It was a tragic fire that took his life in 1959 when a burning tree fell on him.

Leo Poblano devoted his whole time to stonecutting, which he mastered by the 1930s. Wallace then would assign the stone pieces created by Poblano to a silversmith, usually a Navajo, who would then set the stones in silver box tops, bookends, desk furnishings, finger rings, pendants, brooches, bolas, or other adornments. It is quite likely that Wallace provided the Poblano fetishes to a Navajo who then made the necklace as this is a traditional Navajo style necklace.

Condition: very good condition with considerable wear to the neck wrap.

Provenance: from a family from Grants, New Mexico

Recommended Reading:  The Fetish Carvers of Zuni by Marian Rodee