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DEYUSE, LEEKYA (Zuni, 1889-1966). Leekya is the best of all fetish carvers. Leekya worked for C.G. Wallace in the 1920's crafting both stone tabs and nugget necklaces. He later carved small fetishes that would be purchased individually by the traders, which would then be strung into single strand or multi stand necklaces. He also did large free standing fetishes or table fetishes. His carvings have unique features, such as cupped ears on his animals and soft lines on his leaves that distinguish them from other carvers. He never used a hallmark, but his work is very distinctive and highly collectible.
GOODLUCK, HOSTEEN (Navajo, c. 1860s-1930s). “First Phase” silversmith that worked for C.G. Wallace as early as 1923. C.G. Wallace was so impressed with the talents of this man that he moved Hosteen from Houck, AZ to Zuni, NM, to do cast work and as a die maker. C.G. supplied him with fine Swiss files, which he used to make sets of dies. Many of Hosteen and Eskiesose’s dies were furnished to other Zuni and Navajos, with C.G. encouraging them to do silver work. Hosteen was a master in hand-hammered, bezel set, stamp work and repousse’ silver jewelry.
JUAN DE DIOS (or DIDEOS or DIDEDIOS or DELEOSA) (Zuni, c. 1882-1944). In John Adair's study of Navajo and Pueblo silversmiths in 1944, he identified Juan Dedios as one of the finest Zuni artisans. Juan was known for his outstanding and precise silver castings. Dedios was one of the first producers of Knife Wing figures and was well known for his cast crosses, conchas, bow-guards, bracelets and exquisitely detailed crucifixes. Dedios worked closely with trader C. G. Wallace, who retained many of his pieces for his private collection.
KEWONWYTEWA, JIMMY (Hopi, c. 1911-1966). World-renowned Kachina Hopi carver Jimmy Kewonwytewa. Jimmy. K became well known while working with historians at the museum of Northern Arizona Flagstaff during the period from the 1940’s to 1965. While working at the museum he documented the existence and significance of Kachinas. Prof.Colton featured him in a 1949 book where he demonstrated "how to carve a Kachina". Jimmy K. was undoubtedly one of the best-known carvers and apparently the first to put his initials on his work. Jimmy realized that the market for his dolls was not the same as that of the Hopi on the reservation, thus he continued to sign most of his dolls until his death in the sixties. He thus became one of the first commercial carvers of kachina dolls Contemporary carvers including Jimmy.K's ancestors have maintained his simplistic style of carving Kachina dolls. Jimmy Kewonwytewa's work is highly sought after by collectors and not many have been seen in recent years.
LEAK, JOHN GORDON (Zuni, active 1920s-1950). A very skilled inlay artist, who is best known for figures inlaid into a black jet background. Others at Zuni also used this technique, but Leak's work stands above them all. His real name was probably John Leekity, but very little else is known.
ONDELACY, WARREN & DORIS (Zuni, active.1940-1960's). Specialized in large Zuni cluster work. Warren was considered a master silversmith
along with his wife Doris. Recognizable techniques of silver repousse
work often accompanied their designs along with the consistent use of
high quality materials. Trader C. G. Wallace, retained many of the Ondelacy's pieces for his private collection.
PESHLAKAI, FRED (Navajo, active 1920s-1950s). The son or nephew of Slender Maker of Silver, one of the earliest Navajo silversmiths. Peshlakai was one of the first smiths to hallmark his work, though he usually did so only on request. He taught Kenneth Begay while at the Fort Wingate School. During the 1940's - 60's Fred opened up his own shop on Olvera Street in Los Angeles. His pieces are very technically precise and elaborate, sometimes even to the point of seeming Mexican, and his stonework was that of a master stone cutter and always of the highest quality material.
POBLANO, LEO (Zuni, 1905-1959). Leo Poblano is widely regarded as one of the most talented and versatile Zuni artists. He was a veteran of World War II, where he served on the Zuni firefighting crew. Leo produced highly detailed figures in mosaic inlay, including a wide range of ceremonial dancers and olla maidens. He also carved fetishes, which usually contained small inlaid dots of different colored materials. Often working with his first wife Daisy Nampeyo and second wife Ida Vasit, he would produce the stonework for these figures, and Navajo smiths such as Dan Simplicio or his uncle Teddy Weahkee would complete the silver work. Leo traded or sold all of his work to trader C. G. Wallace. Unfortunately, Leo passed away from a tragic firefighting accident at the age of 54.
SIMPLICIO, DAN (Zuni, 1917-1969). Dan Simplicio learned from his uncle, Juan Dedios. Early in his career, Simplicio worked at C. G. Wallace's Zuni trading post, grinding and setting stones. This was where he first used branch coral in its natural form and set rough-cut coral nuggets on rings. He also did some outstanding inlay work early in his career, which is rarely seen. Dan Simplicio, Jr., credits his father's World War II army service in Europe with the development of his fathers innovative leaf designs. Stationed in France, Germany and Italy, he observed the use of leaf work in classical and modern Western European sculpture. Simplicio's jewelry has a highly recognizable look, resulting from its distinctive use of deep red branch coral with high quality turquoise, silver leaf work and stamped drops. His later pieces were sometimes hallmarked.
VACIT, FRANK (Zuni, 1915-late 1990s). Possibly the greatest Zuni channel inlay craftsman, and one of the only early Zuni silversmiths to use a hallmark. He did amazing precision channel inlay of many subjects, from horses to eagle dancers. His ability to set delicate designs in narrow silver channels was unsurpassed.
WEAHKEE, TEDDY (Zuni,
c. 1890-1965). Well respected as both a fetish carver and a mosaic
inlay artist. His inlay work tends to make extensive use of dot inlay, a
very difficult technique not used by many other artists during the
early to mid 1900's
WEEBOTHEE, LEE and MARY (Zuni, active 1940-1980). Highly acclaimed artists, Lee and Mary's jewelry goes beyond perfection. They are best know for their incredible cluster jewelry, which brought them more awards than any other silversmith. Their focus on detail, both lapidary and metal work is obvious in every piece of jewelry they produced. Highly collectible.
ESKIESOSE (or ESKI SOSI, ESKIE TSOSIE) (Navajo, active 1910-1940's) Known for his beautiful stamp work and repousse. Eskiesose worked for C.G. Wallace for a period of time and was commissioned to produce stamps, he and Hosteen Goodluck worked closely together creating many of the early concho belts and other detailed pieces of jewelry. Several of his pieces are featured in the C.G. Wallace collection. Mentioned in the John Adair 1944 book, Eskiesose preferred to work without strangers watching him, as he insisted his silver would not melt correctly. Hallmarked with an X.
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