Loloma things and Loloma rings

No other American Indian artist has ever reached the heights of popularity achieved by Charles Loloma (1921-1991), the Hopi jeweler, potter and painter whose work, especially his jewelry, has become synonymous with creativity and quality. He took American Indian jewelry to places it had never been, with his designs, his materials and, honestly, his marketing. He was the first public superstar of Indian art, and time has hardly dimmed his reknown; his pieces are just as collectible today as they were when he was alive.

One of the wonderful things about his work is that there is no "typical" Loloma piece. There are designs he made multiple times, such as his "height" and "kachina" bracelets, but there are many other pieces that do not follow those designs at all. A "typical" Loloma piece is a piece done with top-quality materials, expert technique and very pleasing design, no matter the form. And we now have three rings that show some of the stages of his development as an artist, each markedly different from the others but all identifiable as his work by the quality and creativity involved. (Anything said to be "in the book" comes from Marti Struever's comprehensive and highly recommended 2005 book LOLOMA.)

The first ring is the earliest of the three, made during a somewhat experimental time when Loloma was becoming comfortable with the use of lost-wax casting in gold, right around 1968-70. He did this "branch" design with both cultured and freshwater pearls, in both silver and gold, though this is the most elaborate gold example of this type we have seen.

Though he did not continue to produce this type of ring in any quantity, the lessons he learned from doing such an elaborate lost-wax casting stayed with him for the rest of his career. In fact, a ring made in 1985 (book, page 169) is not at all dissimilar, though the gold casting is simpler.

By the mid-1970s, Loloma had clearly made a conscious decision to only use the best materials available. Not to say that his early pieces were trash, but around this time the quality of his turquoise goes up markedly. Here is a marvelous example of that, a tufa-cast silver ring with a gold bezel and a wonderful piece of high-quality Bisbee turquoise. It is likely to have been made between 1975 and 1980, probably more towards the earlier date.

One fascinating thing about this ring is the reinforced silver area at the back of the shank. Loloma was very well known for creating specific pieces for specific people, which means that they sometimes would only fit the person for whom they were made. In this case, he actually put an extra piece of silver on the tufa-cast shank, so that the ring could be sized at a future time without destroying the texture of the band. Later pieces with more inlay were tougher to size, as we shall see....

And HERE is an unsizeable one, done in 18k gold with fantastic inlay that goes a large part of the way around the shank. This ring is one of the last things Loloma made, and was done in collaboration with his nieces Sherian and Verma. It was purchased from him at Third Mesa in 1986, just before the September 1986 accident that left him unable to create at his previous levels.

Note the height inlay in this ring, more commonly seen on his bracelets. In this little masterpiece, he and his nieces worked to make a miniature version of one of his gold bracelets, with the stones reaching different levels. It is very well engineered, and fits beautifully if your finger is that size (7, to be exact.)

From the experimental to the unmistakable, these three rings together tell a good part of the Loloma story. To see complete information on each ring, go to the RINGS section of the website or call us for more details.

Four worlds in one--Jesse Monongye in four chapters

For those of you who have read previous blog posts, you will remember that one of the "uniques" I discussed was Jesse Monongye, whose work is as distinctive as it is skillful. For those who are unfamiliar with his work, I recommend the book JESSE MONONGYA: OPAL BEARS AND LAPIS SKIES--the photos are fantastic eye candy, and it explores some interesting parts of his career, including his less than perfect relationship with his father, Preston Monongye. But having the book is not a prerequisite for admiring his jewelry, which incorporates some of the finest inlay work done anywhere into some very interesting forms.

Many great artists have relatively short careers, and Indian silversmiths are no exception. Jesse is definitely an exception to this rule, with his work spanning the years from the 1970s right up to the present day. With such a long career it is only natural that there were different periods to his work, and different styles he adopted during those times. Right now, we are privileged to have four different Jesse pieces, each from a different and distinct period of his career. So, come with us as we visit the career of Jesse Monongye, as told by four pieces in TMT's inventory.

Before we begin, there is one unanswerable question about Jesse--is it spelled Monongye or Monongya? The book spells it Monongya, but Jesse's own website spells it Monongye. Even his own hallmarks are different. We will use the Monongye spelling, because that seems to be what he is using these days. Anyhow, on we go to the jewelry, which is why we are all here.

The first piece is a cast silver belt buckle, which actually has the date 10-22-76 scratched on the back. A very interesting date, since according to the book the first piece Jesse made by himself was in 1977. However, these are some other pieces in the book that are dated 1976, so perhaps this is just sloppy editing.

The hallmark on this buckle is four triangles facing each other, which according to Jesse signifies the "four friends"--his brother-in-law at the time and two other friends with whom they were going to start a jewelry manufacturing business. He signed a few pieces from this time with the "four friends" mark, including this buckle. All the jewelry from this time has raised inlay, using smaller pieces of stone (because Jesse could not afford to purchase the larger pieces of turquoise more in vogue at the time.) Note the little piece of coral on the tip of the prong which presages the little creative touches that would come to mark his future work.

Next, a hollowwork silver bracelet with a wonderful piece of Morenci turquoise. Clearly, Jesse was doing better in his jewelry business and could afford better turquoise. But his style was not completely developed--this bracelet is extremely well-made, but it is not instantly recognizable as his work because it is not inlaid. However, this is the most "Navajo" piece we have ever seen from Jesse, who is, after all, Navajo.

The signature is engraved, rather than the stamped and/or applied hallmark he would come to use later, but the design of the signature is the same JMONONGYE as on later pieces. A rare, early non-inlay piece, probably from 1977-1980.

Aha! Here is the inlay we expect. Some people, including us, call this his "night sky" inlay, for obvious reasons. Absolutely classic work from Jesse, using a number of different types of stones, both traditional (turquoise) and modern (pin shell) These silver earrings probably date to the early 1990s, and have the same JMONONGYE signature as the bracelet, only now it is stamped rather than engraved.

And now, we see Jesse go over the top and let his creative juices really flow. This ring has everything--gold, sugilite, turquoise, coral, shell, and even--wait for it--diamonds!

Clearly the work of someone who knows who is confident in his abilities and knows that he can afford to incorporate the best materials into his work without worrying that it will go unrecognized (and unsold).

There is even a star design on the top of the ring, with three diamonds of various sizes accenting the work. A statement piece, like most of Jesse's work from 1995 on.

In these four pieces, we see most of the major techniques and styles Monongye has used during his career--casting, intricate inlay work, and fabrication in both gold and silver. Truly, a good synopsis of the career of a singular artist.

All four of these pieces are currently for sale on the TMT website. Just go to the Buckles, Rings, Earrings and Bracelets sections for complete details.

Humor on the Rez--a Pendant by Clarence Lee

When you think of Southwest Indian jewelry and silverwork, many words come to mind, but "humor" is usually not one of them. There is not much funny about the long years of practice it takes to become a skilled silversmith, nor the long hours of filing, stamping and polishing it takes to create a work of art. Great turquoise may make someone gasp, but it rarely makes them laugh. Yet the Navajo are known for having a highly developed sense of humor, which comes out in some of their pictorial weavings. So, why not in silversmithing, which remained a very serious art form until the arrival of one Clarence Lee around 1977.

Lee had always had a talent for drawing, which was not a skill that dovetailed well with silversmithing. But one day he shaped a piece of silver into a form resembling a dog, and from that humble beginning he expanded into scenes of reservation life from when he was young. Before his death in 2011, he had become the originator of the storyteller style of Navajo jewelry, where each piece is a vignette of Navajo life. Which brings us to the pendant in question:

In this pendant, a Navajo woman in traditional blouse and skirt is walking through a landscape that included the sandstone mitten buttes of Monument Valley (which, for added effect, are rendered in copper to mimic the buttes' red color.) Note the moccasins with a large silver button on the ankle, the pleats in the skirt, and the silver buttons lining the arm and shoulder of the woman. There are silver clouds in the sky, and even a sun done in a Zuni inlaid sunface (it is quite likely that Lee purchased these Zuni sunfaces, which often show up in his work, from Zuni artisans rather than making them himself.) Right down to the flowering yucca plant, it is as Navajo a scene as you can imagine.

The humor comes in when you see that the woman is not alone in the scene. By her side is a wooly sheep with its head turned up towards the woman. And in the woman's arms is a little lamb, clearly belonging to the mother sheep. With careful looking, you can see that the mother sheep has a worried look on her face, as if she in wondering what this woman is going to do with her little lamb. The lamb, on the other hand, does not seem to have a care in the world, and is enjoying the ride. After all, why walk when you can ride?

Lee was known for incorporating funny animals into his scenes of reservation life--any pickup truck would have dogs running alongside or sitting in the back enjoying the ride, and cats would often gather by the Hogan to cause trouble while the women did their weaving. There is always something funny about the animals, because Lee said that his memories were happy ones. As a result, the worried mother sheep and the carefree little lamb make us happy as well.

This pendant is SOLD.

Who to collect--the forgotten ones, and before a unique becomes unique

I knew it would happen. I tried very hard to be comprehensive, and sure enough, I forgot some people. I asked if there were any artists who should have been in the "who to collect" blog that were left out, and some of you had some really good suggestions. So, I have this small addendum. I have included the category in which the artists should be listed, as well as a * if they are no longer with us. With all apologies, here we go:

Ron Bedonie, Navajo (Traditionals)--an outrageously talented silversmith, whose filework and sense of design is simply breathtaking. He does not exhibit at either of the major Indian Markets, so some people are not as familiar with him as they should be, but the true cognoscenti know him and his work.

Richard Chavez, San Felipe (Uniques)--a late addition! Perhaps the most modernist of all Indian jewelers, and someone whose work befits a man who started his college studies in architecture. Each piece has clean lines and impeccable workmanship.

Boyd Tsosie, Navajo (Uniques)--his work is instantly recognizable and completely unique. As a former student of Kenneth Begay, he learned about traditional techniques and materials before going off on his own to create his "dot" inlay pieces for which he has become rightfully famous.

And speaking of Tsosie, his work brings up an interesting point--what about the work a Unique does before they truly develop their own unique style? After all, Harvey Begay worked for a short time in the White Hogan, doing typical White Hogan silver and ironwood designs like his father had before. And Raymond Sequaptewa started out working in traditional Hopi overlay before he found his own groove. Are those pieces collectible, or should they be dismissed as not fully-formed works of a developing artist?

Take the pendant above--a beautiful silver and turquoise pendant by the one and only Boyd Tsosie. It is clearly a superior work, but it does not have the kind of "dot" inlay work and unusual materials for which he is now known. It is hallmarked, and the quality of the work is consistent with what he did later in his career, but it is definitely an earlier, developmental piece. Collectible as an early example, or not because it is atypical? In this case, we believe it is collectible, because of two defining characteristics: quality and a certain something that identifies it as the work of someone special. The quality speaks for itself--it is beautiful. But what puts it over the top, and makes it different from Harvey Begay's work for the White Hogan is that it has some technical and artistic traits that are unique. Mainly, the small gaps in the silver that accent the filework surrounding the stone. That small touch gives the piece huge visual "pop", and though this as not the direction in which Tsosie chose to go for future pieces, it identifies the maker as a real talent. Contrast that with Harvey Begay's White Hogan work, which is very well-done but offers no hints that the artist was a future great. (To see this pendant in greater detail, go to the NECKLACES section of the Turkey Mountain Traders website.)

Buying developmental pieces by great artists can be marvelous fun--look at Loloma's early cast silver pieces, which are very different from what his work would become but are of extremely high quality and creativity. Just be sure that there is something to recommend the piece beyond just a hallmark.

Who to collect, part 3--the uniques

In Part 2, we looked at silversmiths who could be classed as innovators, people who pushed the limits of what Indian jewelry could be. Now, in Part 3, we will look at those artists who we call the "uniques", people whose work is so unique as to defy convention. These are people who have done things in a completely new way, and have redefined what is acceptable in Indian jewelry. They could also be classed as innovators, but their work is so unique that to call them merely innovators did not seem like a strong enough term. So, we have given them their own class, because their work is truly in a class by itself. Again, those who are no longer with us are marked with a *.

Michael Kabotie*, Hopi--though he always considered himself a painter first and foremost, his jewelry, especially his triple overlay work, was absolutely unique and gorgeous. He took traditional Hopi motifs and gave them his own personal spin to create intricate and beautiful designs in both gold and silver, and took overlay work in a completely new direction. Like many of the artists in this class, his work is instantly recognizable, even from a distance.

Raymond Yazzie, Navajo--the younger brother of Lee Yazzie, and the creator of some of the most fantastically detailed jewelry made anywhere by anyone. His use of very small pieces of stone as inlay accents to larger stones is something done by no one before he came along, and he combines it with very clean and precise filework in his silver and gold.

Charles Supplee, Hopi--there is no "typical" piece by him. The variety of his work is amazing, and the quality of his materials is always top-notch. It is sometimes difficult to tell a Charles Supplee piece, because his work comes in so many different flavors.

Don Supplee, Hopi--the only jeweler who can match Charles Supplee's variety is his brother, Don. Again, his work is unconstrained by one particular style, but is always expertly made with the highest quality materials.

Harvey Begay*, Navajo--the son of the great Kenneth Begay, and as innovative and skilled as his father. Begay started out doing clean silver pieces, much like his father, but soon expanded his horizons to include casting, gold and even diamonds.

James Little, Navajo--one of the few Indian smiths who can rival Begay's work with diamonds, but also a master of more traditional materials and forms.

Denise Wallace, Chugach Aleut--we're cheating a little bit here, because she is not Southwest Indian, but her talent and creativity is amazing. She made incredible pieces with her husband Samuel, and after his death she continued to be fabulously creative, sometimes in collaboration with her daughter Dawn.

Maria Samora, Taos--one of the most exciting young talents in the field. Her work straddles the line between Indian jewelry and fine jewelry, with oxidation one of her favorite techniques.

Jesse Monongye, Navajo--the master of his own type of inlay, often imitated but never equaled. When you see an opal moon in a lapis sky, it is more than likely you are looking at one of his pieces.

Raymond Sequaptewa, Hopi--one of the artists for whom there really is no precedent. His use of found materials and his sense of design is completely unique in the Southwest, and perhaps even the world.

So, who did we leave out? There are dozens of great Indian jewelers working today, so if you have a particular favorite who was not mentioned in these blog posts, we would love to hear about it! Give us a call, or drop us an email.

Who to collect, part 2--the innovators

Part 1 of our Who To Collect blog series got quite a reception, so let's keep it rolling with Part 2, which will discuss the contemporary Indian jewelers whom we consider to be innovators, and worthy of your collecting attention. Keep in mind that this list does not include people who made their reputations before 1980, so no Charles Loloma, Kenneth Begay, Preston Monongye or Julian Lovato. We had to draw the line somewhere.

What do we mean by innovator? Basically, someone who, within the tradition of Southwestern Indian silverwork, pushed the boundaries by an unconventional use of techniques or materials (like Loloma with his height inlay, or Begay with his use of ironwood.) We have withheld some artists for the third part of this series--the uniques. Those are people whose work is difficult to categorize--they are certainly innovators, but they have gone above and beyond in one way or another. For today, though, let's focus on the innovators. Those marked with a * are unfortunately no longer with us. Photos are mostly items in our inventory, though some have sold.

Vernon Haskie, Navajo--Haskie does Navajo forms, but uses high-quality materials in inlaid patterns that are almost Zuni in their precision.

Gibson Nez*, Navajo/Apache--for a rodeo cowboy, Nez was quite a silversmith. He brought a level of craftsmanship to large-scale pieces that had not previously existed, and showed that big could indeed be beautiful.

Lee Yazzie, Navajo--possibly the most talented Navajo silversmith of the 20th Century, though Kenneth Begay and Fred Peshlakai might have something to say about that. His pieces are an inspiration for all other silversmiths, with their combination of top-quality materials, especially turquoise, and impeccable craftsmanship. Nobody has been more responsible for the movement towards great turquoise in high-end jewelry.

Verma Nequatewa (Sonwai), Hopi--in a way, she belongs in the traditionalists category, because she works in the tradition of her uncle Charles Loloma. But her work is modern in style rather than traditional, and her use of materials is innovative and creative.

Clarence Lee*, Navajo--the first Indian smith to bring storytelling and humor to his work. Lee created a whole new genre of silverwork (the storyteller bracelet, where an entire scene is laid out in silver) and nobody since has done it better.

Cody Sanderson, Navajo--his work, with its pop-art symbols and over the top forms, is at once fun and wearable. His work is extremely distinctive--though he has his imitators, like all successful artists, none match his quality of work.

Pat Pruitt, Laguna--the first Indian jeweler to gain widespread acclaim for using modern technology (like Computer Aided Design) and space-age materials (like titanium) in his work. Some consider his work too modern, but he is following in a long line of artists who have used new technology and materials to advance the art.

Gail Bird and Yazzie Johnson, Laguna and Navajo--in a way, their work using semi-precious stones was a return to the days when Navajo smiths used petrified wood in their work. But they have taken it beyond that, into a great variety of different stones and minerals.

Ric Charlie, Navajo--the master of patination. He uses patina to create interesting colors and textures on silver jewelry, though his cast gold jewelry is also top-notch.

Darryl Dean and Rebecca Begay, Navajo--they took the tradition of pictorial and textured sandcasting started by Preston Monongye and brought a level of detail and storytelling to it that is unmatched. Darryl Dean was originally the main artist, but Rebecca has become extremely skilled at the work as well.

Who did we miss? Let us know who else should be here. And keep an eye out for part 3--the uniques. Coming soon to a computer screen near you. In the meantime, stay safe.

Where we were, where we are and where you should be--who to collect, part 1.

Time was, Turkey Mountain Traders was the purest of the pure. If a piece of jewelry was made after 1940, we did not want to handle it. A simple rule, enforced with an iron fist. We were ANTIQUE Indian arts dealers, after all, and we had to draw the line somewhere. So, 1940 it was. If it was hallmarked, no dice (with very rare exceptions.) And now--what has happened? Our website is absolutely littered with post-1940 pieces, and there are even pieces there by (gasp!) LIVING ARTISTS. Crikey! What happened to our pureness? Did we fall out of love with the truly old material? How do we sleep at night? Do other dealers and collectors look at us funny?

The answers to these questions are all very simple, and come down to two main points. First, the really good pre-1940 material is rare and VERY hard to find. To support a viable business, it was necessary to broaden our horizons. (We do like to eat, after all.) And second, the best material from the 40s, 50s and 60s was truly great. As connoisseurs of Indian art in general and Indian jewelry in particular, how could we not love the mid-century work of Fred Peshlakai, Kenneth Begay, the great early Hopi masters and pieces incorporating stones from the top Nevada mines that were coming on to the market? From there, it was a small step into the 1970s, which have a generally bad reputation for Indian silverwork but saw the full flowering of the genius of Charles Loloma, Preston Monongye, Larry Golsh and other great innovators. One thing led to another, and it was on to the 80s and what we all consider "contemporary". We decided that what was most important was not age, but rather quality and authenticity. SInce the finest work being done today rivals the best of any other era in Indian silverwork, why would we not want to handle it when we could?

Which leads to a question we are often asked by newer collectors: what artists should we collect? A tough question, because the first answer to that question is always "buy what you like", but the full answer should go deeper. We would never tell someone not to buy something they love, but we would ask them to spend the time beforehand to hone their knowledge and their eye as to what is truly great. "Great" is the most overused word in the art business, just ahead of "genuine", and sometimes the only way to tell good from great is to see the two side by side. Sack did this for antique American furniture with his "Good, Better, Best" books, but collectors of Indian silverwork do not have a comparable reference; they have to rely on the advice of others and their own knowledge. That is where a dealer comes in--very few collectors have the time to spend all day, every day looking at things like dealers do. And thus, a list of contemporary artists we like and think are worth collecting.

This will be a 3-part entry. The first entry today will focus on the traditionalists, artists who mostly worked after 1980 whose work could be classified as "traditional" rather than innovative. There is absolutely nothing wrong with traditional work, as long as it is done with care and skill--some of our favorite artists fall under this category. The second entry will be the innovators, and the third entry will be the uniques. So, onward to the traditionalists.

Perry Shorty, Navajo--the pre-eminent contemporary Navajo smith working in traditional forms (cuff bracelets, squash blossom necklaces, concho belts) and using traditional materials (coin silver, turquoise.) That is not to say that he doesn't do some different things now and then, but he is best known for his mastery of the more traditional forms.

Bernard Dawahoya, Hopi--the heir to the mantle of premier Hopi overlay smith. His wonderful small silver vessels are unsurpassed in quality.

Norbert Peshlakai, Navajo--though many of his designs are innovative, his techniques are quite traditional. The great master of stampwork, often using the same stamp multiple times to create an intricate aggregate design like a rabbit.

Mike Bird-Romero, San Juan Pueblo--very few people can work "heavy" like him, with large stones and thick-gauge silver.

McKee Platero, Navajo--the undisputed king of working "heavy". His use of traditional techniques such as repousse and filework is unsurpassed.

Did we miss anyone? Undoubtedly we did. Let us know who else you think should be on this list.

Next entry--the innovators.