Mike Bird-Romero “Star People” Silver and Gold Pin [SOLD]

A Rare Work by Mike Bird-Romero (Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo)

Mike Bird-Romero is a visionary master silversmith celebrated for his innovative designs and distinctive, award-winning jewelry. This exceptional silver and 14K gold pin is a premier example of his highly coveted "Star People" series. Because the artist has retired this particular design motif, this vintage piece represents a rare and finite opportunity for discerning collectors.

Crafted with striking contrast and texture, the pin features a perfectly polished sterling silver disc, four vertical silver overlay strips delicately scored to add a subtle, light-catching texture, a brilliant 14K gold serpent cascading down the center, and a stylized, horizontal gold band expertly scored to reveal the piercing eyes of the "Star Person" creature.

What sets Mike Bird-Romero apart is his fierce commitment to the arduous, traditional methods of old-time Pueblo silversmiths. Nothing is pre-fabricated. For this piece and others, every single step of the process is done entirely by hand:

• He melts and pours his own silver ingots.

• He hand-rolls his own sheet silver and coils his own wire.

• He hand-carves tufa stone molds for custom casts.

• He even hand-forges his own custom stamps and dies out of repurposed automobile engine parts.

Born into a lineage of profound talent at San Juan Pueblo (now Ohkay Owingeh), Mike was raised by a celebrated potter mother and a master textile artist grandmother. Emerging as a major, revolutionary force in Native American jewelry in the 1980s, his work bridges historic Pueblo soul with contemporary geometry.

This pin is not just jewelry; it is a wearable piece of Pueblo art history. Please contact us for further details on adding this rare Bird-Romero piece to your collection.

Condition: this Mike Bird-Romero "Star People" Silver and Gold Pin is in excellent condition

A Note on Historical Provenance: Mike's deep connection to historic design was further fueled by his wife, Allison Bird, an acclaimed scholar. Her seminal 1992 book, Heart of the Dragonfly: Historical Development of the Cross Necklaces of the Pueblo and Navajo Peoples (published by Adobe Gallery), inspired Mike to create a legendary series of historic-style cross necklaces. Like his "Star People" jewelry, those pieces are now exceedingly rare.

Recommended Reading: FINE INDIAN JEWELRY OF THE SOUTHWEST: The Millicent Rogers Museum Collection by Shelby Tisdale, Ph.D.

TAGS: Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo (San Juan), Southwest Indian Jewelry, Mike Bird-Romero