Birds, birds, and more birds

@hisweetpotato , very pleased you like the photos. It sure can be tricky to photograph highly polished silver surfaces, especially when they curve as this one does. As you all know!

@OrbitOrange , for sure this is a delightful rabbit hole to go down. PNW NA/First Nations silver jewellery is so different to SW NA work, yet I feel an underlying harmony between them, and in my opinion they’re quite complementary, and very satisfying to contemplate.

I’ve got a few such birds—mostly ravens, eagles or hummingbirds—and might share the others sometime.

For example, here’s a small pendant by Travis Henry (Cowichan, Vancouver Island) that I think depicts a hummingbird — it was at a local consignment shop, so again no information beyond the presence of his familiar mark. I’m guessing hummingbird because of the beak, but the cruciform shape is unusual (which is why I bought it), plus there’s a face on its belly! The latter may be a salmon-trouthead, but I feel doubtful about that. The bird is unlikely to be a kingfisher as it doesn’t have a tufted head :thinking: The late Dolly Bond once told me Travis always includes a flower at the end of the beak to emphasize it’s a hummingbird, but I’ve seen exceptions to that in his work. Anyway, it’s a mystery waiting to be solved.

Now, back to the turquoise! 🩵

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It does look like a hummingbird. But it also resembles a woodpecker a bit. Sometimes we think of them as having a crest on their head, but most don’t.


Whatever birdie it is, I love it! And I really like it in the cross shape. So unusual.

I saw the face in the belly right away! Wonderful pendant. I would have bought it in a heartbeat!

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@Ziacat, ooh, that’s a thought about the woodpecker! It’s not a traditional subject, but you can never say never — some First Nations silversmiths love doing non-traditional birds and animals. I found this woodpecker (not by Travis Henry, but another FN artist), so already there is precedent. Will have to hunt around some more! Or even see if I can contact the artist to ask :wink:

(It’d be awesome if this pendant was intended specifically to be a northern flicker. I love those birds. Years ago there was a flicker that visited our apartment balcony regularly! We didn’t feed it, it just showed up and hung out on the floor of the balcony from time to time for inscrutable flicker reasons. I still feel so happy whenever I hear or see one :two_hearts:)

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Oh, that must have been amazing! Mr. Flicker must have just liked you :laughing: I love birds in general, and Flickers are beautiful. I picked that one, because they are widespread here and also in Canada. And woodpeckers seem like such good Northern woodsy birds :grin: One time in Ontario we heard a Pileated, and it was literally like someone hammering. I was trying to find a picture of a woodpecker with its wings out like your bird, but the only ones I could were Pileated, which have the crest on their head. With that longish beak I would think something like a hummingbird or woodpecker. But I am not familiar with what birds are used. Let us know if you find anything out.

We are heading to Lake Michigan today, so I will be taking my pictured above bird cuff with the “cormorant!”

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@Ziacat thank you!! I’m thinking it’s tiger eye rather than amber (and onyx). It doesn’t have that resinous quality or color of amber, but does look just like a tiger’s eye ring I have. Those were flea market finds.

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Speaking of birds :grinning: Any idea what this could be? I thought maybe a key ring but the ends do not come off. It’s the same on both sides.

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Could a key slide through? But if so, I’d worry I’d lose it.

Maybe a really big nose ring :joy:

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Hahahaha Honestly that would not surprise me at all :rofl: maybe if you put a key on a big enough ring that would slide over the ends could work. But since you said that, maybe it’s a non pierced earring. That would work I think :wink:

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It does look wearable. Possibly something one hangs from an ear?

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Yes, I totally agree :smile: I was just thinking the same thing after Ziacat suggested it was a nose ring. I thing that’s what it is.

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I actually wondered about an ear cuff type earring also.

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See you guys are way more creative thinkers than me lol. I’ve looked at this thing for about a week now lol :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

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Every one of those I’ve come across has one ball that unscrews. Not sure about yours. I would save the bird for a pendant and just scrap the other piece if solid.

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Yeah, I was thinking that too but the ends do not open unfortunately. That would have been cool if it did :smiley:

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Quintin Quam birds: ring and necklace purchased this year, earrings a few years ago.



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Amazing!! Unbelievable work. Thank you for posting these. You must be a bird lover like me.

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@M3 , those pieces are enchanting! So beautiful!

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Wow! Your Zuni jewelry set is absolutely gorgeous. I’m just amazed at all the different birds that are showcased. A work of art.

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Absolutely gorgeous jewelry. where ever you wear this, you may not get beyond three feet from the door as people will be stopping you to admire them. Quite a work of art.

Thank you for your kind words. The birds are so interesting.It was also amazing getting to visit with the artist.