Hello folks,
1st post @TP, been diving and absorbing knowledge for a while, I recently purchased a wide Hopi cuff with bull head motif, rear has silver mark. I could usually identify most of the hallmark, but this time with no luck. Hallmark looks like Hopi cloud motif, or it could be 2 TT letters sit in a circle…
Hope you guys can provide some info, any hint would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
I have a Hopi Hallmark book, I’ll try to look it up in a bit. For some reason the black doesn’t look like Hopi work to me.
I don’t think this is Hopi. I am thinking it is a manufactured piece. Found another one Bison Buffalo Cow Skull and Arrowhead Cuff Bracelet Sterling - Etsy
And I can’t find the mark anywhere; not in my book (Hopi Silver History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing). To me the mark looks like a shield of some sort.
@Ziacat Thanks for the effort, as you and Jason pointed out, it doesn’t fit as a Hopi piece,
not Navajo or Zuni neither, but still has the Sterling instead of SV925, which means it’s been made in the U.S.
I’ll keep looking for similar pieces and info
Thank you!
@Jason Wow just wow, TP folks are Fast, man!
Yeah now I see, it’s not Hopi the blacked area has some oxidized signs and been slightly hammered, but 2 identical piece, very much manufactured, though the hallmarks seemed done by hand.
Thanks for the info and I’ll keep watching.
It’s still pretty cool!!
In general, although not 100%, in Hopi work the oxidized area has etched marks (there’s an actual correct term for that but I can’t remember what it is🤪).
I’m not sure about sv925, but Native American pieces most certainly can have 925 instead of sterling. I just bought a ring from a Navajo artist at an Indian Art Market, and he marked some of his pieces 925.
@Ziacat Thanks man, I actually have some doubts about it being a Hopi, but I was out in a trip and the price is sweet, didn’t want to lose a chance if it happens to be made by some not-so-well-known artists, so decided to take it.
Anyone else, if came across this mark can leave some comments, much appreciated!
Hi Sandey. The bracelet is lost wax cast rather than being hand fabricated. The original master was most likely carved in wax by a skilled wax carver, invested in a plaster of paris like investment and then centrifugally or vacuum cast from molten sterling.
From there a silicone mold was made of the original casting, and additional bracelets cast from wax copies made by injecting hot wax into the mold, and then investment casting the wax copies pulled from the mold.
