Hopi Sterling Silver Kokopelli Belt Buckle [SOLD]

Overlay technique consists of an upper layer in which the design has been intricately cut out with a saw.  This layer is then placed over a solid backing sheet that has been scored and blackened, thus the overlay name.  The jeweler must be extremely careful with his saw to prevent making a mistake and cutting off some element that would then make that piece of silver unusable.  It takes a master craftsman to cut the top layer of an overlay piece without damage.  Sockyma is obviously a very talented silversmith.

Steven Sockyma is a Hopi member of the Corn Clan at Hopi Pueblo.  He has been actively making jewelry since 1969.  He was born in the Third Mesa village Hotevilla and now lives in Glorieta, New Mexico.  He has been a 1^st place winner at Santa Fe Indian Market.

Condition: minor scratches from use

Provenance: from the collection of a former client who had purchased it in 1988

Recommended Reading:  The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry by Michael and Theda Bassman