Snow Horse, his craftsmanship and some history

—This will be a rather lengthy post indeed, but I’m hopeful that at least a few will see it through—

After a somewhat exhaustive search throughout Turquoise People, I could find no reference, (question, statement, or otherwise) to a craftsman that was known as Snow Horse. My family shared some moments in time with this artist, and I would like to share some of that history, as well as a few of the heirlooms I have been bestowed and pieces I have purchased.

My foremost intent with this thread is to learn something, as exists the very real possibility that members here may know something, own jewelry made by him, or have contributions. We know not where these strings of conversation could lead. Through my own research, I’ve been able to come up with very little on him. Otherwise, I’d like to provide some entertainment with the story and photos and perhaps a bit of information for anyone’s future reference, concerning his hallmarks and workmanship. While the style of his work may not jive with my preferences, there is no denying the workmanship he put into his pieces, and my family’s history with him plays a big role in my adoration for his work.

My maternal grandfather was an Indiana State Police officer, gunsmith, hunter, and the boulder that my family rested against and under during storms of life. For a time, he sold insurance, motorcycle insurance to be exact, for the Midwest Mutual Insurance Company. Midwest owned a cabin on the outskirts of Colorado Springs, CO. In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, grandma and grandpa would load up my mother and father, (who were dating at the time), mom’s two brothers and their soon to be wives, for a two week stay at the cabin, always around Christmas.

How grandpa and Snow Horse met is unknown, however, I recall grandma mentioning it may have been on either a horseback mule deer hunt or an antelope hunt in Wyoming, but that’s neither here nor there. When the family would make this trek to the cabin, at some point during the two weeks, grandpa would take the family to Snow Horse’s home in Colorado Springs and commission custom work. This was almost a vacation inside of a vacation for the family, as it always turned into a few days filled with camping, mouth watering home cooked meals, bonfires and simply enjoying eachother’s company. This time spent together, and the interactions that transpired, made up much of Snow Horse’s design of each piece, as grandpa told it. One memory that grandma would often recount is when Snow Horse was measuring my father’s wrist for a cuff, he told him he’d never measured any wrist of that size, dad did have some monstrous hands.

Over the years Snow Horse had made a cuff for my father, a pendant for my grandfather, a bracelet for my mother and a few other pieces for my uncles and their wives that I currently don’t have access to. I have fairly recently purchased a few pieces online that were crafted by his hands, as gifts for my younger sister and my mother. I may not be able to provide the experience or impress the memories as grandpa did, but I find it heartwarming to, in a way, continue the tradition.

His style was somewhat contemporary, especially considering the timeframe in which he was making jewelry, at least I feel. Cobblestone inlay, flush/channel/wrap-around inlay, and somewhat geometric design elements are some (potentially) tell-tale signs of his work, while he is obviously not the only artist to utilize these methods, his work is fairly distinctive overall. His hallmark has varied, from a stamped “SH”, to an engraved “SH”, to his full name, “Snow Horse” with and without an asterick or star, in a cursive script, both engraved with a vribatory engraver. Perhaps @mmrogers wouldn’t mind setting me straight, but I’ve also seen his hallmark engraved with what appears to be a vibrating pen, but with a “chisel tip” or “straight blade tip” rather than the usual pointed or semi-pointed round tip, an example of this will be posted below. He utilized turquoise, quartz, teak, ebony, mother of pearl, bone and jet to name a few. While not something he made a habit of, (I know @Ziacat isn’t a big fan of this, nor am I, mainly due to it seemingly being overdone in the 1970’s) he placed two black bear claws on the pendant he made for my grandfather, as grandpa had just come off of a successful bear hunt in Canada, a few months prior.

Below are photographs of some of his work. While not possesing the elegance I promised @TAH, I was attempting to get detailed shots, as this thread is rather specific.

This is the bracelet that was made for my father, hallmarked with a hand stamped “SH”.



This is the pendant that was made and gifted to my grandfather. I’ve always enjoyed how Snow Horse oriented the claws, in a naja form through my eyes. Hallmarked with a vibratory engraving pen, “Snow Horse”. Note there is no asterick or star as I mentioned above.


This was a fairly recent online purchase, and will be gifted to my mother. Hallmarked with “Snow Horse *”, utilizing an engraving pen once again.



Yet another recent purchase, this one is a gift for my younger sister. Hallmarked “Snow Horse”, minus the “*”.



The second half of my mother’s christmas gift this year. The method in which he finished the cobblestone inlay on this piece in particular is well executed in my opinion, the full radii on the main settings is a beautiful touch. This one is rather heavy, and it’s hallmark is the one I pinged @mmrogers on, as it appears to be executed with some kind of “straight blade” or “chisel tip” vibratory engraver?



And finally, a bracelet and ring set that I purchased and gifted to my sister last Christmas. We live a decent distance from eachother, so these photos were sent to me by her. The bracelet is hallmarked “Snow Horse *” and the ring bears simply “SH”.




I will (at some point) get photos of the bracelet he crafted for my mother, she lives quite a distance away as well.

It is my hope that some of this community will have enjoyed this, and if any of this information or any of these photographs serve someone in the future, all the better!

Regards,
Aaron

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Thank you for sharing your family history with this amazing artist.
I like the blend of turqupise and other stones.

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@fernwood, I am an intorvert for certain, but it was a joy sharing this bit of family history. I’m glad you enjoyed it and the contrast of turquoise and other stones certainly is pleasing to the eye. I’ve always thought the bone was a neat touch as well, it’s evident on the third bracelet, being the two vertical members straddling the flush, mosaic inlay.

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Absolutely beautiful.

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What a wonderful family history and association with Snow Horse’s work. These are fabulous pieces, especially those cuffs; very innovative for the 60s…I wonder who he trained with. I don’t have much cobblestone jewelry, but love the use of the variety of stones. I’m also really attracted to the use of fossilized bone, and especially the pieces with the rounded stones. Although I’m not a big fan of claw pieces, the artistry in that pendant is superb! I’d buy that! I’ll keep my eyes out for his pieces…his work is so well done I’m assuming he must have produced a fair amount. Thanks for sharing these wonderful pieces!

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This is the kind of content I come here for😁

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Absolutely gorgeous jewelry!! Thank you for sharing the story. You know that I love it when history and emotions are attached to our pieces; when it comes together in a well told family story, even better!

I think the reason I’m generally not a claw jewelry fan is for the reason you stated - they feel a little cheesy sometimes to me (plus I’m not a hunter at all, although I inherited a stuffed black bear), but …your pendant is FABULOUS. Definitely the claws look as though they are forming a naja. I think it’s my favorite piece you posted.

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Thanks for sharing your story @Ravenscry . Wonderful pieces.

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@Bmpdvm, I have been curious to this as well, who he trained with, how he got his start, anything at all really. Over the years I have attempted to dig up anything pertaining to him, only to come up empty handed. Thank you for your kind words, I’m grateful you found enjoyment in it!

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@Ziacat, I recall you posting the mounted black bear you inherited!

I’m fond of your seemingly endless ability to respond to more or less every single post. If not with direct, requested information then with positive, joyous words, or a willingness to help. You’re the kind of member that makes this an enjoyable experience. I appreciate your words and am thankful you and so many others took the time to read my lengthy post.

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@StevesTrail, thank you for your kind words. These pieces are rather special to me, and it’s a great feeling knowing that the members here that I’ve come to respect can appreciate them as well.

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Thank you for sharing this collection and story. It sounds so meaningful to you.

Out of curiosity I looked a bit online and came upon a website with a cuff for sale, which describes the item as 70s modernist and Snow Horse as a group of artisans from Green Mountain Falls, Colorado, not an individual (and doesn’t mention Native American). Does this resonate with what your family has mentioned? Also, this name isn’t in the Native jewelry reference books and websites we rely on, so I wonder if it was assumed or known that the maker was Navajo or otherwise Native American.

Hopefully there will be other resources out there to fill in the picture.

https://www.flyingtigerantiques.com/great-vintage-1970s-modernist-southwest-silver-turquoise-ironwood-inlay-bracelet-by-snow-horse.html

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@chicfarmer, this is interesting. I’m familiar with flyingtigerantiques.com, having visited that site in the past. Thank you for sharing this. In the research that I’ve done, I have struggled to come up with anything at all, neither supporting nor contradicting their claims. I am an avid reader, of the printed word moreso than the typed, (although I do find Kim and Pat Messier’s blog and Mark Sublette joyous, among a few others) and have referenced every one of my books on southwest jewelry, plains native silverwork, auction brochures, and museum catalogues and have had no luck in that realm either. There is always someone that owns more research material, is more knowledgeable and more experienced, regardless of the subject, but please know that I am not blindly posting, or making assumptions. I hold no expectations, of anyone or anything, and am therefore never dissapointed. While the information that is posted in this cuff listing on flyingtigerantiques.com may not jive with what my family has shared with me, who is to ever know without having lived it? While anything is certainly possible and nothing would surprise, it’s apparent to me now a few of the details should have been omitted, as I was not there, living these moments. Thank you for your contribution and thoughts.

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To @chicfarmer and anyone else that has used, or would use, this thread as a reference tool, I owe an apology. After having pondered this, I’ve come to a conclusion that warrants my explanation.

I should not have labeled or put an association with these pieces of jewelry. Having not with my own two eyes watched them be made and having not purchased or received them from the artist that crafted them, I am ignorant as to their origin, bottom line. I suppose my labelling was drawn from years of hearing the same stories from family members, but that’s certainly no provenance.

While Kim and Pat Messier originally shared this information at the end of 2018, I was thumbing through the Sotheby Parke Bernet catalog of the C.G. Wallace collection, and there are two examples of mis-attribution, being items #691 and #1141, both attributed to Etsitty Tsosie, but being labeled has having been made in 1943 and 1955 respectively. Etsitty left this world in 1937, and as the blog mentions, this could be a typo, or it could be a case of misremembering by C.G.

When the published word, especially one as such as this, is brought into question, the only certainty that remains is that nothing is.

Being neck deep in studying Donald P. And Karen M. Richard’s “A Study of Navajo Concha Belts”, they share that the dates, routes, and interactions of the first Spanish traders can only (obviously) be speculated upon, and this is long before any native american had thoughts about crafting in silver. Kit Carson’s Long Walk to Bosque Redondo and the jewelry crafted during it is just one other example, of countless, that is subject to interpretation.

Some of the most beautiful, in my opinion, first and second phase concho belts were crafted by artists that will never be known, and certainly not recorderd for reference, in books, online, or otherwise. Such an abundant amount of silver and turquoise adornment was crafted before hallmarks were considered, making attribution even tougher. I only mention the above examples to bolster the thought that much of this interest of ours is unknown. We all may rely upon certain reference material, (as is our only choice) however, none of these materials are time machines.

Obtaining a doctorate in cultural studies doesn’t transport one back in time. So regardless of everything, if one wasn’t there, one doesn’t know.

I apologize for potentially misleading anyone and have edited the original post, omitting any cultural affiliations. Perhaps some enjoyment can still be obtained for a few from the photos!

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Don’t beat yourself up.
Thank you for your honorable intentions.

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Greetings to all interested in this thread. Fort Thunderbird Trading Post is the Native American and Western part of Flying Tiger Antiques. I am very intrigued by this thread. I bought the Snow Horse bracelet I have on my site about 5 years ago in the Phoenix area. I assumed it was Native American made. Research, that I can no longer seem to locate, led me to believe that Snow Horse was a group of Anglo Artisans working in Colorado in the early 1970’s. But reading Ravenscry’s story, and seeing multiple examples of Snow Horse’s work on Worthpoint and elsewhere, I would have to say that it seems much more likely that this was a single artist’s work and not that of a shop or guild. I’m putting my bracelet ON HOLD for now while this is sorted out. Hopefully the Snow Horse mystery will be solved soon!

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Thank you for responding! This is fascinating.

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@Fort.Thunderbird.Trading.Post, thank you for replying and sharing that information. This could very well remain a mystery unless one or many of us together can conjure up some irrefutable proof. I am appreciative for the interest that has been shown and am curious as to where this may lead. Thank you all!

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https://www.etsy.com/listing/637825328/vintage-sterling-turquoise-and-mother-of?show_sold_out_detail=1&ref=nla_listing_details


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Hey Aaron,

Really enjoyed reading your family connection to Snow Horse and seeing photos of your collection. Beautiful pieces and workmanship, no doubt. They sort of have that modernistic Loloma vibe going on and the bear claw naja is awesome! Anyway, I’m looking forward to following this thread and learning more about Snow Horse. Thanks for sharing and your photography is already making mine look amateur.

I absolutely love Richards’ book and am very thankful they took the time to collect the information and get it published. What gets confusing is there are five belts in the book attributed to Hosteen Goodluck with “approximate dates of creation” of 1940s and one belt (see below) dated 1950s. According to Kim and Pat Messier via the U.S. Indian Census Rolls, Hosteen died March 26, 1937. The 1950s belt is most surprising because it is owned by Bill Malone, whose late wife was Hosteen’s granddaughter. So those dates are either a mis-print or the Indian Census is way off on his death date.

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