Vintage Zuni Native American Turquoise Shell Inlay Butterfly Silver Bracelet

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Vintage Zuni Native American Turquoise Shell Inlay Butterfly Silver Bracelet:
$750.00

Description

This fantastic Native American handmade stone-on-stone mosaic and Sterling silver bracelet was created by an unknown Zuni artist. This Zuni lapidary (stone worker) painstakingly cut, shaped and polished at least THIRTY-FIVE individual pieces of white clam shell, jet, turquoise, and spiney oyster to evoke the image of a Butterfly. 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 twelve jet dot inlayed into the clam shell. Although not perfectly executed, I have never seen the use of three dots placed in a row before. INCREDIBLE!! HOW DID THEY DO IT? It is beyond my comprehension!

This mosaic is set into a serrated bezel and placed on four half-round silver wires, two of which are recurved. Note the silver tabs at the terminals. These indicated that the piece is of an older vintage because the solder used is of inferior quality, thus the use of the tabs. Two spiral wires form the antennae of the butterfly. Several stamped silver drops and two hand stamped and cut silver tabs complete the image. Two turquoise flower tops formed from nine matched turquoise stones each flank the butterfly and add to the fanciful nature of this piece.
You will be hard pressed to find its like again as we have never seen its match. Add this truly UNIQUE piece of Native American jewelry to your collection of native American arts.

Tribe: Zuni

Date: Mid-Century

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: 2\" wide 5-3/8\" inside circumference end to end plus 1\" opening

Weight: 42 Grams / over 1-1/2 Ounces

RETURNS: ALL purchases may be returned within 14 day for a refund or an exchange. REFUNDS ARE FOR THE SELLING PRICE OF THE ITEM NO MATTER THE FORMAT THEY WERE PURCHASED HOWEVER THERE IS A 15% RESTOCKING FEE FOR sale ITEMS ONLY. We do not refund shipping unless the item was grossly misrepresented in the listing. CONSIGNMENT ITEMS ARE FINAL SALE AND WILL BE NOTED AS SUCH IN THE LISTING.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR OTHER GREAT items! AND GO TO OUR ABOUT ME PAGE FOR CONTACT INFORMATION, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CONSIGNED COLLECTIONS AND TO READ ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS.