Vintage Native American Zuni Turquoise Shell Inlay Rainbowman Silver Bracelet

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Vintage Native American Zuni Turquoise Shell Inlay Rainbowman Silver Bracelet:
$1500.00

Description

This fantastic Native American handmade stone-on-stone mosaic and Sterling silver bracelet was created by an unknown Zuni Pueblo artist. This Zuni lapidary (stone worker) painstakingly cut, shaped and polished at least FORTY-THREE individual pieces of white shell, jet, turquoise, and spiney oyster to evoke the image of the semi-divine Rainbow Man. (Zuni cultural norms foroffer the depiction of the more important figures in their pantheon.)
Imagine the concentration of time and effort taken by the artist as they ground down these tiny pieces attached to the end of a stick on a fast spinning stone. The individual tesera form a mosaic showing the great skill of this artist. Of particular note are the fabulous four piece hat and the long thin jet and shell pieces that help to form the torso and skirt. And, check out the two stepped pieces of jet and spiney in the skirt. HOW DID THEY DO IT? It is beyond my comprehension! This mosaic is set into serrated bezels on a shank formed from three heavy flat silver wires decorated with deep and precise hand stamping, spiral twisted wire, and multiple stamped silver drops and tabs. A silver tab binds the flat wires together at the terminals. These tabs indicate the inferior nature of the solder used by the artist and thus the older vintage of this piece.
This example of the finest Zuni lapidary work is not to be missed. You will rarely ever have a chance to add a piece of Zuni inlay of this quality to your collection of fine Native American art.

Tribe: Zuni

Date: 1930\'s-40\'s

Artisan: Unmarked as is appropriate for the age

Hallmark:

Materials: Turquoise, Shell, Jet, and Sterling Silver

Condition: Excellent condition with approriate wear. NO damage to the stones or the silver.

Size: 1-5/8\" wide 5-1/2\" inside circumference end2end plus 1\" opening

Weight: 56 Grams / over 2 Ounces

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