Sterling Silver Box with Floral Design [R]

Frank Patania Sr.'s early life helped him develop into the artist he was destined to become. Born in Messina, Italy in 1899, he followed the European tradition of apprenticeship. At six years of age, he was apprenticed to a goldsmith, where he was assigned the most mundane jobs, tasks to be done repeatedly until proving his worth and his ability as a master. Once he'd mastered one job, he'd be assigned another, and another, and the process continued.

The legacy left by Frank Patania, Sr. came from the integration of two distinctly different traditions—one European, and the other Native American. On the one hand, Frank Sr. drew from a long history of Italian creative spirit, combining technical expertise and artistic imagination.

But Frank Sr.'s style was drastically transformed when he was introduced to the work of southwest Native American jewelers in the 1920s. His inspiration was multi-faceted; he began to work in a new medium—silver and turquoise—as well as in increased scale, and using new techniques. The successful marriage of these two disparate traditions has become the foundation upon which each generation has maintained the tradition of excellence in craftsmanship and design that has come to be known as the “Patania Thunderbird” style.

This silver box features a beautiful rendition of a still life, as one would paint a vase of flowers. Being placed on a starkly plain background of silver further highlights the floral arrangement. The box is stamped with the Patania Thunderbird logo.