Zuni Jewelry & Fetishes
George Cheechee
Zuni 5 Strand Fetish Necklace - George Cheechee (#01)
$2,500.00
Zuni 5 Strand Fetish Necklace - George Cheechee (#01)
$2,500.00
Artist: George Cheechee
Zuni Jewelry
Smallest Strand: 19"
In his book Zuni Fetishes & Carvings, author Kent McManis references George Haloo CheeChee as one of the most important figures in the Zuni fetish-carving world. George started carving in the 1930s and was best known for his fetish necklaces, which are distinguished by the slightly turned animal heads. Because of his unusual name, George was often referred to by numerous variations of his moniker. With all of George's fetish necklaces, he carved the birds while someone else provided the heshi and strung them into a necklace, which is the case with this piece. George passed-away in 1983, and since then, his fetishes have become extremely collectible.
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Related legends:
Zuni Fetishes
Navajo fetishes represent a specific area of Navajo art and culture, often misunderstood and sometimes misrepresented. It is assumed by many that Navajo fetishes exist for purely commercial reasons. There is, however, a tradition of fetish use by Navajo people, either as part of personal pollen sacks carried by individuals or as part of a jish, the sacred bundles used by Navajo medicine people.
Zuni Antler Deer & Fawns Fetish - Max Laate (#02)
$225.00
Artist: Max Laate
Zuni Fetishes
1 7/8" tall x 3/4" wide
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Related legends:
Deer
Eating certain parts of deer will cause illness: head; nosebleed and head swelling, heart; bleeding, digestive; turn into a snake. More about this legend
Zuni Antler Deer & Fawns Fetish - Maxx Laate (#03)
$225.00
Artist: Maxx Laate
Zuni Fetishes
Antler Deer & Fawns Fetish
1 3/4" tall x 3/4" wide
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Zuni Brown Serpentine Mountain Lion Fetish - Wilford Cheama (#03)
$250.00
Artist: Wilford Cheama
Zuni Fetish
3/4" x 2 1/2" x 1 1/4" tall
In Zuni culture fetish carvings represent animals spirit, which reside in the stone. The less animate an object, the closer to the spirit world it is. A stone carving of an animal brings its owner in contact with the applicable deity. Wilford Cheama has carved an exceptional representation of a mountain lion, also known as "Elder Brother”. Fashioned of brown serpentine, Wilford's mountain lion displays all the grace and beauty of this magnificent animal. It looks as if the lion is ready to spring into an all-out sprint at any moment.
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Related legends:
Zuni Fetishes
Navajo fetishes represent a specific area of Navajo art and culture, often misunderstood and sometimes misrepresented. It is assumed by many that Navajo fetishes exist for purely commercial reasons. There is, however, a tradition of fetish use by Navajo people, either as part of personal pollen sacks carried by individuals or as part of a jish, the sacred bundles used by Navajo medicine people.
Andrea Lonjose Shirley
Zuni Deer Kachina Pin/Pendant - Andrea Lonjose Shirley (#04)
$595.00
Zuni Deer Kachina Pin/Pendant - Andrea Lonjose Shirley (#04)
$595.00
Artist: Andrea Lonjose Shirley
Zuni Jewelry
Sterling Silver Inlay Zuni Deer Kachina
Pin/Pendant set with Malachite, Jet,
Mother of Pearl, Coral, Turquoise,
Gold Lip and Abalone Shell
3 1/2" tall x 1 5/8" wide
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Zuni Double Serpentine Turtle Fetish- Ron Laahty (#04)
$270.00
Artist: Ron Laahty
Zuni Fetish
Double Serpentine Turtle
Fetish Set with Jet and
Mother of Pearl Eyes
2 5/8" tall x 1 5/8" wide
Turtles are water symbols to the Native people of the Colorado Plateau. In this carving, master artist Ricky Laahty has put his skills to work and created a stack of water creatures. Always on the lookout for special stones, Ricky has used a deep green serpentine to craft this marine marvel. Yertle the Turtle King has nothing on this seafaring duo.
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Related legends:
Turtle & Frog
This episode appears in four versions of the attack on the Pueblo. It precedes the story of the main attack or constitutes this attack. The scalps which they obtain are, however, not the object of the suitor test. Frog and turtle kill the enemy or their young women. They have hidden in the "walled up water supply" which is drawn off to reveal them? More about this legend
Precious Stones
Turquoise; Precious stones have symbolic implications. For example, turquoise if a "collective term for all the precious stones, wealth, or mixed offerings. Good fortune is attributed to this stone." Both white shell and turquoise are emphasized in Kinaalda? More about this legend
Zuni Fetishes
Navajo fetishes represent a specific area of Navajo art and culture, often misunderstood and sometimes misrepresented. It is assumed by many that Navajo fetishes exist for purely commercial reasons. There is, however, a tradition of fetish use by Navajo people, either as part of personal pollen sacks carried by individuals or as part of a jish, the sacred bundles used by Navajo medicine people.
Zuni Fetish Necklace and Earrings Set - Debra Gasper (#01)
$1,350.00
Artist: Debra Gasper
Zuni Jewelry and Fetishes
Necklace: 30" long
Earrings: 1 1/2" long
Using ancient fossil ivory, Zuni fetish carver Debra Gasper has created a monstrously beautiful necklace. Eagles, turtles, eagles and a variety of other animals make this a stunning neckpiece. Throw in the earrings, and this is a terrific addition to your collection.
We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on every purchase.
Related legends:
Zuni Fetishes
Navajo fetishes represent a specific area of Navajo art and culture, often misunderstood and sometimes misrepresented. It is assumed by many that Navajo fetishes exist for purely commercial reasons. There is, however, a tradition of fetish use by Navajo people, either as part of personal pollen sacks carried by individuals or as part of a jish, the sacred bundles used by Navajo medicine people.
Dennis & Nancy Edaakie
Zuni Knife Wing Cuff Bracelet - Dennis & Nancy Edaakie (#03)
$2,400.00
Zuni Knife Wing Cuff Bracelet - Dennis & Nancy Edaakie (#03)
$2,400.00
Artist: Dennis & Nancy Edaakie
Zuni Jewelry
Inner Circumference: 5 1/4"
Opening: 1 1/4"
Total: 6 1/2"
Width: 1 3/4"
Wow! That is likely the best response to this 1970s Zuni Knife Wing bracelet by Dennis and Nancy Edaakie. Dennis and Nancy became famous for their inlay work, and one look at this antique cuff will tell you why; they were expert in their design and stonework. Using turquoise, jet, shell and coral, they created jewelry that became classic. Dennis has gone on to his great reward, so acquiring his artwork has become a treasure hunt.
We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on every purchase.
Related legends:
Zuni Fetishes
Navajo fetishes represent a specific area of Navajo art and culture, often misunderstood and sometimes misrepresented. It is assumed by many that Navajo fetishes exist for purely commercial reasons. There is, however, a tradition of fetish use by Navajo people, either as part of personal pollen sacks carried by individuals or as part of a jish, the sacred bundles used by Navajo medicine people.
Andrea Lonjose Shirley
Zuni Male Rain Dancer Pin/Pendant - Andrea Lonjose Shirley (#02)
$595.00
Zuni Male Rain Dancer Pin/Pendant - Andrea Lonjose Shirley (#02)
$595.00
Artist: Andrea Lonjose Shirley
Zuni Natural Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Dangle Earrings - Lorraine Waatsa (#04)
$450.00
Artist: Lorraine Waatsa
Zuni Jewelry
1 1/4" x 2 1/4"
Just when we thought there wasn't any more Sleeping Beauty turquoise left in Zuni, New Mexico; Lorraine Waatsa came up with some. What we appreciate about her discovery is that she shared her treasure with us. Lorraine created this bright and beautiful pair of cluster earrings and we were there to swoop in and grab them up. How fun is that?
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Sleeping Beauty Turquoise
The Sleeping Beauty turquoise mine is located seven miles from Globe, Arizona. The mine is one of the largest producers of turquoise in North America. The mine, and the turquoise extracted from it, derives its name from Sleeping Beauty Mountain, which at one time was part of the Copper Cities operation. The center of the copper mine is located at approximately 33o24"13.23"N. 110o53'34. 60"W, at an elevation of 1224 feet. Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Mining is presently owned and operated by Monty Nichols.
For many centuries before the first Europeans made their way into Arizona, turquoise was being mined on the slopes of Sleeping Beauty Mountain. The Salado and other ancient peoples mined the beautiful sky stone from several surface outcroppings located in the vicinity, including Pinto Valley. It is believed that Spanish explorers were the first Europeans to locate the source of Sleeping Beauty sometime around the 1860s. By the 1870s, small underground mines pockmarked the hills surrounding present day Globe.
Cities Service Company started the Copper Cities Mine (commonly called the Sleeping Beauty Mine) in 1952 and operated it until the Pinto Valley mine opened in 1972. During the 1960s, L.W. Hardy had the contract to mine turquoise, both at Sleeping Beauty and at Castle Dome, later called the Pinto Valley Mine. Formerly a meat cutter at a market in Miami, Hardy recognized early on that turquoise was more valuable as a gemstone than the associated copper.
By the time the turquoise boom began, Hardy had contracts with mining companies in Miami, Kingman and elsewhere. He also developed a method for stabilizing low-grade, porous turquoise with pressure-impregnated hot acrylic resin, which hardened the stone and improved the color.
Hardy's mining methods were primitive when compared with current operations. Hardy's workers sat in a ditch ripped by a bulldozer and hand picked the stone from waste-rock. Hardy mined turquoise at Sleeping Beauty for 22 years, getting about 45 percent recovery, and leaving the rest in waste dumps.
Monty Nichols received the contract to mine Sleeping Beauty turquoise in 1988, and began using modern mining methods to develop the property. Nichols drills and blasts the overburden, hauling it to the abandoned Copper Cities pit, which now contains the recycled tailings from Miami Copper Company's No. 5 tailing dam. The old dam dominated the eastern skyline of downtown Miami until recently. The year Nichols acquired the contract; he began a two-year project to remove 5,000.000 tons of overburden. Located half way up the side of an open pit mine, the narrow turquoise-bearing zone has about 400 feet of hard waste rock on top of it. In order to move sideways into the ore-body, a whole slice of the mountain had to be removed.
To avoid fracturing the turquoise, Nichols was careful not to blast too near the turquoise-bearing strata. That layer is more crumbly, so the miners can rip it and dump it over screens, separating the material by size. No crushers are used, again to avoid fracturing the gemstone, and the different sized rock is hauled up to a wide mine bench where conveyor belts move the material through three buildings. There, workers handpick turquoise from the broken rock. The buildings are vented with filtered air to eliminate workers' exposure to dust, and well insulated to keep them comfortable in any weather. It is a far cry from the old methods of mining. Anywhere from 30 to 40 people work at the mine at any one time, depending on how much mining there is to do.
Fifty years ago, mine workers filled lunch buckets with the colorful rock, even though it was reason for immediate termination. Old habits die hard, and some people still think it is okay to sneak in and try to pick turquoise. As a result, security is tight in and around the mine. Motion detectors, night vision cameras and 24/7 roving patrols are used, so the only turquoise leaving the property now is being shipped to markets around the world.
Italy is the largest volume buyer of Sleeping Beauty turquoise, with Germany and Hong Kong following closely behind. These customers buy the best grade for their exclusive jewelry. Jewelry makers in India and Spain also receive Sleeping Beauty turquoise, while in the U.S., Gallup and Albuquerque are the largest consumers.
The Sleeping Beauty turquoise mine produces a uniform light to medium blue turquoise with rare finds of deep, dark blue. Because of its uniformity, it has been a favorite of the Zuni Pueblo. Zuni silversmiths often use it in channel inlay and various types of cluster work that require large numbers of small, perfectly matched stones. The Sleeping Beauty mine has been one of the larger producers of rough turquoise in the United States, although today much less good turquoise is being produced than in the past.
Sleeping Beauty turquoise is noted for its solid, light blue color with no matrix; the host rock is usually granite. Nichols says the mine is producing about 1,600 pounds a month. Of that, only four percent is natural; most of the turquoise from the mine is altered in some way. Most is enhanced, which is more expensive than stabilization, and sold to large distributors in this country and Europe. Currently most of the turquoise that comes from the mine is from the tons of tailings piles that have been accumulating for decades.
The best of the Sleeping Beauty turquoise is comparable to that found in the Middle East. It is thought that large quantities of Sleeping Beauty turquoise is taken overseas and smuggled into, then out of, Iran to be sold as “Persian” turquoise.
Zuni Spiny Oyster Shell Earrings and Necklace Set - Jillian Etsaty (#42)
$448.00
Artist: Jillian Etsaty
Zuni Jewelry
Necklace: 18"
Earrings: 1 1/4"
Jillian Etsaty from Zuni Pueblo has put together orange and purple spiny oyster shell to create a sweet little necklace and earring set that will please the woman in your life (or you of you are the woman in your life).
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Peter & Phansy Natachu
Zuni Sterling Silver Inlayed Bolo and Buckle Set - Peter & Phansy Natachu (#01)
$1,750.00
Zuni Sterling Silver Inlayed Bolo and Buckle Set - Peter & Phansy Natachu (#01)
$1,750.00
Artist: Peter & Phansy Natachu
Bolo: 1 3/4" x 2 1/8"
Strap: 40"
Buckle: 2 1/2" x 2"
This Zuni inlay buckle and bolo tie set by Peter and Phansy Natachu is fine indeed. Using Sleeping Beauty turquoise, Mediterranean coral and Utah jet, Peter and Pansy have recreated the sun god in grand style. Clean and precise, this is Zuni work as it should be.
Related legends:
Zuni Fetishes
Navajo fetishes represent a specific area of Navajo art and culture, often misunderstood and sometimes misrepresented. It is assumed by many that Navajo fetishes exist for purely commercial reasons. There is, however, a tradition of fetish use by Navajo people, either as part of personal pollen sacks carried by individuals or as part of a jish, the sacred bundles used by Navajo medicine people.
Zuni Sterling Silver Multi-colored Sky Gemstone Kachina Dancer Pin/Pendant - Andrea Lonjose Shirley (#01)
$595.00
Artist: Andrea Lonjose Shirley
Zuni artist Andrea Lonjose Shirley makes gorgeous pieces of handmade art. Legendary Zuni artist Shirley Benn taught her, her crafting ability. This pin/pendant is inspired by Andrea's Zuni culture. This piece demonstrates her incredible talent with free form silver work and multi-stone inlay; nobody does it better.
Related legends:
Zuni Fetishes
Navajo fetishes represent a specific area of Navajo art and culture, often misunderstood and sometimes misrepresented. It is assumed by many that Navajo fetishes exist for purely commercial reasons. There is, however, a tradition of fetish use by Navajo people, either as part of personal pollen sacks carried by individuals or as part of a jish, the sacred bundles used by Navajo medicine people.