My husband has learned to ask my sister what I would like (she strings pearls and other necklaces/bracelets etc. for jewelry stores and is more of a jewelry person (if that’s possible) than I am…), as when on his own, not so successful.
I was pretty specific about wanting a plain ring (if he ever asked) as a wedding ring, and while he did embellish a little, it was darn close to what I wanted.
Actually, if I buy myself a piece by Ruben, it will likely be a tufa overlay piece! I have several nice traditional Hopi pendants; these tufa pieces are so unique. I bet there are some great pendants for sale out there🥰
Check out Garland’s. They had some when I bought my ring, but I don’t know what they have now. And Perry Null; I think they had a few items also.
The Heard had some of his pieces when I was there last weekend for the ornament sale.
Here are a couple of Hopi pins that I recently purchased. I don’t know how the little bears, wearing scarves, keep finding me, lol. (I actually came across another one but didn’t buy it 'cause the pin was so tiny.) Hallmarks I.D. from: Margaret N. Wright’s book on Hopi Silver & Hougart’s 3rd edition book on NA/Southwestern Silver Hallmarks.
Nice, @Patina . I see one with Hopi craft guild. Mark Sublette said collectors are always looking for those Sun faces. Does anyone know why?
@nanc9354 Thanks! I’m just taking a guess here. This photo is from my Hougart’s Hallmarks book. Could be that these Hopi Guild marks are helpful in determining the date range of a piece of jewelry. Also, the work of some of the Hopi artists listed here, in these 2 Classes, may be collectible (see Victor Coochwytewa). The book also states that beginning in the late 1960s or early '70s, a single Guild stamp was used by all silversmiths.
Thank you Patina. Do artists still use Sunface guild hallmark or just the HC?
These cute armadillo earrings arrived today…by Raquel & Leonard Hurley.
@nanc9354 You’re welcome. Those little armadillo earrings are cuties! The Hopi Guild is no longer in business. I don’t think a silversmith would be currently using those specific HG sunface hallmarks🤷♀️. HC ~ are you referring to Hopicrafts? Hopicrafts is also no longer in business. Closed its doors in 1983. I hope this info is helpful.
Thanks again. So both hopicraft guild and Hopi Silvercraft guild are no longer operational. Then do Hopi artists just use their own hallmark? No longer the sunface hallmark? I’m looking into getting Margaret Nickelson Wright’s *Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing book…the one that Zia has.
It’s an excellent book. However I need to get an updated version; I bought it in like '97.
Hi ~ I may not have fully understood your initial questions. Again, this is only a guess on my part: If a Hopi silversmith worked for one of the Hopi guilds, used their own individual hallmark (sunface or otherwise), I guess they could’ve continued to use that same (sunface) hallmark on their jewelry after the Guild closed 
. Or, did the silversmith create a new hallmark to use after the Guilds ceased operations? IDK. I have the “Revised Edition” of Margaret Nickelson Wright’s book: “Hopi Silver”. It’s an excellent book and I recommend it.
Mark Sublette says collectors always look for the sunface. So if artists still use the sunface, then how does that tell when it was made?. I guess I’m wondering what modern day Hopi artists use to hallmark their pieces. I just bought the fourth edition of the book on eBay.
None of my Hopi pieces have a guild mark. They just have their own individual mark (like other native American artists), and all of my pieces’ hallmarks are listed in that book.
Just a thought… consider reaching out to Mark Sublette, by email, with your questions. If he made that statement, about collectors always looking for sunface hallmarks in one of his videos, then he’ll most likely respond to you. I’ve made a few purchases from his Medicine Man Gallery and found he & his staff to be responsive to inquiries. He seems passionate about sharing his knowledge on Native American jewelry & art.
You and others discussed this in a thread in 2023.
https://forum.turquoisepeople.com/t/hopi-silvercrafts-guild/10867/7
Surely Mark Sublette meant that for a Hopi Silvercraft Cooperative Guild artist, collectors look for a sunface hallmark of this type–not for Hopi jewelry generally (such as pieces from Guild artists who also worked elsewhere, or for Hopicrafts).
I would imagine that the Tawa mark would give more authenticity to a piece during that time period. White owned trading posts were hiring Navajo silversmiths to make jewelry that looked Hopi. If you’re buying vintage Hopi jewelry, you really need to know your stuff or else you risk buying Navajo.
I bought these Native American made men’s cufflinks yesterday at a local coin shop (guy sells other collectibles, too). When I flipped them over, I recognized the pictograph hallmark. I believe cufflinks were a popular jewelry accessory for men in the 1950s-'60s. I don’t think I’ll ever know, for sure, which Yazzie silversmith created these. The coin shop owner was having a Christmas sale: I paid $16 for the cufflinks.
(1st photo - some lighting issues, cufflinks are in excellent condition.)
@Patina what lovely cufflinks! You may appreciate this blog post by the Messiers about Navajos making Hopi-inspired overlay in the 1950s, including at Dean Kirk’s Trading Post.
@chicfarmer I thoroughly enjoyed this article. Thanks for posting it. There’re a few takeaways that I’ll keep in mind now when shopping for overlay jewelry. The mention of Willie Yazzie, Sr. in the article is timely.
