Joe H. Quintana: MASTER IN METAL Selections from the Irma Bailey Collection [SOLD]

Joe H. Quintana: MASTER IN METAL Selections from the Irma Bailey Collection

By Irma Bailey

Publisher: Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Not too many intimate details of Joe H. Quintana's life are available, as he was a very private person. We do know that he was born on February 1, 1915, at Cochiti Pueblo in New Mexico. He was married to Terecita Chalan also of Cochiti on December 21, 1924. They had five children: Panky, Cippy, Rose, Daniel, and Sylvia.

In his book "The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths" (1944), John Adair wrote: "At Cochiti there are five smiths who do work for a company in Santa Fe and bring their work into town periodically. Joe Quintana is one of the most successful of these smiths. Later, Joe worked for Gan's, Packard's, and Simpson's in Santa Fe, then for Maisel's and The Covered Wagon in Albuquerque.

In 1966, Quintana became the number one silversmith in Irma's Indian Arts & Pawn in Albuquerque. After Irma closed her gallery in 1971, Joe continued making jewelry for the Baileys who developed a traveling wholesale jewelry business.

During the time Joe and Irma were acquainted, Irma collected 600 pieces of Joe's work, exhibiting the vast capabilities of this gentle and talented man.