White Coral Necklace by Frank Patania, Sr.

Most coral jewelry is fashioned from dark red or orange coral, so it was an unexpected pleasure to have a necklace arrive that is fashioned from white coral. Perhaps red coral is desired by more people because of its strong color, however white coral beads such as those in this necklace resemble pearl necklace beads.

When corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients, they expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white. Warmer water temperatures can result in coral bleaching. Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

The center bead in this necklace is the single largest one. Branching out from it, each bead reduces in size with the smallest ones at the ends near the clasp. Three miniature white coral beads are attached to the silver clasp.

Frank Patania, Sr. was an internationally known silversmith and owner of Thunderbird Studios in Santa Fe and Tucson. Patina was born in Italy in 1899 and came to New York with his family at age 10. By the age of 19 he was working as a designer for a New York jewelry company—Goldsmith, Stern & Company, one of New York City's largest. Here, he was exposed to modern trends in jewelry making and came to appreciate the value of using quality materials and fine craftsmanship.

When Patania was 25, he contracted tuberculosis, and the company sent him to Santa Fe where he began his career in the Southwest. He opened his first studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico—Thunderbird Studio in 1927—and began infusing Native American designs into his work, creating a unique style in jewelry that was appreciated by people like Georgia O'Keeffe and Mable Dodge Luhan. He later opened another studio in Tucson.

His work is highly sought by collectors familiar with Southwest jewelry who appreciate quality craftsmanship and an elegant, distinctive look in wearable art. Patania hired Native American jewelers and mentored them in the art of refined gemstone setting and metalworking techniques. Some, like Julian Lovato, became famous in their own right.

Frank Patania died in 1964, but his talent was passed down to his son Frank Jr. and his grandson, Sam, who continue to design and create innovative and beautifully constructed works of fashionable jewelry.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this White Coral Necklace by Frank Patania, Sr. is from the collection of a client from Colorado

Recommended Reading: Contemporary Southwestern Jewelry by Diana Pardue

TAGS: Santa Fe, Kewa Pueblo, Hopi Reservation, Julian Lovato, Frank Patania, Jr., Frank Patania, Sr., Jewelry