What do I have here guys? I don’t think it’s Dan Simplico but there seems to be some of his characteristics, I read he taught Jaun Calavaza and he in turn taught Effie. It’s 2-1/2" x 1-3/4" and weighs 44g.
Possibly, it’s none of the above and I’m being overly optimistic.
Also, I’ve been wondering about the bolo clips, would you say that just because a bolo has simple wires for the tie to go through instead of a clamping type clip, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it was made before those were availible, right? I’m assuming that people still used the old way for some time before everyone started using the new Bennett clips?
I also got a petit point necklace and matching earrings at the same place that I’ll save for another post.
The close up of the snakes head and the 2nd pic of the back, are with flash. The others are natural light from a window.
I see what you’re getting at here. It definitely has that Simplico feeling to it, and the snake has the Calavaza vibe as well. I have picked up a few calavaza pieces recently, and have noticed that when they put turquoise in the eyes of their snakes, the Inlay lays flat. Not a rounded cabochon like we see here.
I honestly think you might have hit the nail on the head with this one, @AC. This is such a neat bolo.
It is difficult to come up with an answer. When we are identifying Dan Simplicio work we use the leaf, this leaf is not a Dan Simplicio leaf. Then we goto Juan Calavaza’s and we notice the majority of what we see online has flush inlaid eyes. We look at Mike Simplicio’s (Dan’s son) work and his leaf is also different, the border is spot on. What we do know is the piece is the right age to be a later work of Dan’s or something his son could have made. Not sure about the Calavaza/Simplicio connection. You have a nice piece, I would get a good bolo cord find some complimenting tips and show it off.
I had noticed a similarity of Mike, Dan’s son, where it looks like the background is being stamped with what looks to be the same tool that is used on the snakes body. But still, everything I’ve found, Dan or Mike, has the flush eyes. I haven’t found any with rounded eyes that stick up above their bezels like this one does.
Also Mikes bezels seem to have a much more tightly spaced serration, tip to tip, with pointed tips, than Dan’s, which seem much more broadly spaced, and rounded on the tips.
This is Mike’s. The cross hatching on the snakes head seems right. I’m not sure the eyes are exactly flush, maybe slightly rounded.
