Birds, birds, and more birds

Both of your pins are wonderful…I really like the bluejay(?). Your bottom pin represents the Thunderbird deity (half man, half eagle). The Zuni refer to these as Knifewings.

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Ahh! Thank you! I thought the top one was a road runner! And i kind of was wondering if the bottom was a knife wing! Thank you so much! :upside_down_face:

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Somehow I stumbled back to this thread and realized what I’ve missed! Great Depression era Kewa bolo, @chicfarmer, as is the knifewing pin, with wonderful yummy blue gem🥰.
I have one depression era Thunderbird tab necklace that I had packed away…great to pull it out again. Cruder and earlier than your bolo…1930’s-40’s (?)


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I love your depression bird @Bmpdvm! The straight out wings (neither upturned nor downturned) are a little unusual. I’m not sure about the age, but I know of one very high level and knowledgeable collector who has quite a few of these depression era necklaces and feels that the red plastic did not show up in them until the late 40’s or early 50’s, so that is what I have generally gone by.

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Thanks for that information @OrbitOrange! I’ll have to see if I can find information bout when the red plastic (toothbrushes?)was first used. Something about the design and the crude inlay made me feel it was older, but that was only my guess. Many years ago there was fabulous show of these depression era pieces at the Wheelwright Museum; the variation in style, form and size surprised me. Hope you are able to go to the Wheelwright when you are at Market!

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I’ve also read it was sometimes from Dairy Queen plastic cutlery.

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Sounds like a great exhibit on the depression era birds, and yes, I’m planning on going to the Wheelright in August! I usually go on Friday for their small artists market and consignment sale before the SWAIA market begins.

I think what @Ziacat said is right; they famously often used red plastic Dairy Queen spoons

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Ha!…that makes sense, but at some point I was told the sometimes used red plastic toothbrush handles. The red on my piece seems thicker than plastic spoons??? I’m sure they used what ever they had or could find.

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New to me, vintage hummingbird pin/ pendant. Loving it!


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This inlaid mother of pearl, tortoiseshell or cowrie shell?, coral, jet(?) and turquoise owl ring was something I had been looking for for a while. I adore birds, especially owls and puffins. This little guy has a very fluffy happy awake look which makes me smile. It fits perfectly and the back is curved to be very comfortable. Signed “L. Snowa Esalio Zuni '92” in etched script on back.

The carved (fetish?) bird earrings are chunky and heavy for their size. I wish I could remember where I got them and who carved them… I am not sure if they are Native American though I do remember they came from New Mexico? They look similar to earrings made by Matt Mitchell who I think might be anglo?

I think the bird earrings are zebra (jasper?), coral and shell with various heishi beads. Am not sure if they are woodpeckers or cardinals or zebra finches though the crests make me think more likely one of the first 2 possibilities? What do you all think?

As a side note, the beaded tufted puffin is not Native. I bought him from an artist on etsy… because one of my fav places on earth is Cannon Beach, OR (home of Haystack Rock where puffins nest every summer…). Here’s a crazy question… Does anyone know if any Native American artists have created jewelry with puffins?

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I love all those little birdies! I always really like Zuni owls, but your little guy’s wide eyed stare is too cute; no wonder he had to come home with you.

To me your earrings look like wee little woodpeckers, maybe even a Pileated Woodpecker (one of my favorite birds). Those earrings are perfection.

Thanks for posting them!

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Your owl ring is adorable! I haven’t seen one like it before. I usually just see, and own 3, owl rings made with crushed turquoise (pretty sure mine are not NA made). Hmm, the carved bird earrings. The crests & beaks say cardinal to me but, the body coloration looks like a woodpecker :woman_shrugging:.

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Maybe they are blends of different birds :grin: Whatever, they are adorable!

Here’s another little guy that reminds me just a bit of your earrings.

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Did you post your owls? I can’t remember. If not I’d love to see them. I’m a bit of a bird nut :flushed:

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@Ziacat I don’t recall, either. I can hunt them up, and any other bird related jewelry, to post.

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When I was in Tucson this spring, Mac’s Indian Jewelry had a fetish necklace to match your woodpecker earrings.

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that is THE BEST owl inlay piece I’ve ever seen - most of them have that flat-hat head with little to no expression, but yours is cheeky and alert and fluffed up like a happy bird. LOVE!!

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I only located 2 owl rings, not 3. These vintage owl rings are very common and most likely Mexican made. All rings are unsigned with the exception of the one on the left. It’s hallmarked “R Homer” in electric engraved script. I think there’s a possibility this one could be Zuni.

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Oh my, I love all of those. I need to get some more bird rings. But the little guy on the left that’s hallmarked, he’s my favorite. Do you think he’s a robin? That was my guess. My mom loved birds. She lived in a small town, but her yard was like a woods, because it had so many trees, and she was an avid bird watcher. She especially loved Cardinals and Robins, so your little ring almost choked me up when I saw it. It’s perfection! and he does have a Zuni look.

Thank you so much for sharing these.

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@Ziacat You’re welcome. I do believe the little bird ring on the left is a Robin. My mother loved Cardinals, though, she wasn’t a bird watcher. Growing up, there were a lot of Cardinals around where we lived. Here’s a pin I that just remembered about. I had purchased the Cardinal pin and ring in remembrance of my mother.

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