Diné Inlay Rotatable Pendant with Tanager and Hummingbird

Jake Livingston's Dual Vision: The Nature-Inspired Reversible Bird Pendant

This classic reversible pendant is a testament to the exquisite craftsmanship of Jake Livingston, a member of the Navajo Nation. It features a vibrant scarlet tanager on one side and a delicate mother of pearl hummingbird on the other, each meticulously crafted with an artist's precision.

Diné of the Navajo Nation artist Jake Livingston employed stones with the same finesse as a painter wielding a brush, fashioning his images with a keen eye for detail. The tanager, perched on a branch, is composed of minuscule segments of jet, accompanied by leaves made from mother of pearl. This intricate design creates a lifelike representation of the bird in its natural habitat.

On the flip side, the hummingbird hovers above a coral bloom, its wings etched with precision. The bird is surrounded by colorful blossoms and mother of pearl leaves, creating a vibrant tableau that captures the hummingbird's dynamic energy.

A border of fine stampwork encircles each bird, adding a touch of elegance to the pendant. This border not only enhances the visual appeal of the piece but also serves to frame the birds, drawing attention to their intricate details.

The pendant is designed to spin within a circular frame of silver, allowing the wearer to switch between the tanager and the hummingbird with ease. This feature adds a dynamic element to the piece, making it not just a piece of jewelry, but a wearable work of art.

Jake Livingston's reversible bird pendant is more than just a beautiful accessory. It is a celebration of nature's beauty, captured in stone and silver, and a testament to the artist's mastery of his craft. This piece is a shining example of the rich artistic tradition of the Navajo Nation, brought to life through Livingston's skilled hands.

It is signed inside the frame with the hallmark J.L.

The son of a Zuni jeweler, Jacob Haloo, and a Navajo mother, Lolap Haloo, Jake Livingston was born in Pinehaven, NM in 1946. After returning from Vietnam in the early 1970s, where he received three Purple Heart medals, Livingston first worked as a Navajo tribal policeman. He studied the Zuni style of mosaic inlay with master craftsman Dennis Edaakie and soon began working full time as a jeweler. He has been creating prize winning works of wearable art ever since. Frequently working with his wife Irene, he is the recipient of First Place and Best of Division awards at the Santa Fe Indian Market multiple times and his work is found in Lois Jacka's book Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Diné Inlay Rotatable Pendant with Tanager and Hummingbird is from a private collection

Recommended Reading: Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone by Lois Jacka, et al.

TAGS:  Dennis Edaakie, Zuni Pueblo, Southwest Indian Jewelry, Diné of the Navajo Nation, Jake Livingston