Single Strand Turquoise and Amber Disc Necklace [SOLD]

James Coriz’s parents both were jewelers. He began making jewelry with his parents as a young child. He learned how to cut, shape and polish turquoise and shell as well as how to fabricate silver and set stones. Today, he works with his wife Doris, whose parents were also jewelers, to create hieshe necklaces, spirit necklaces with hand-cut fetishes, as well as multi-stone inlay pendants and earrings. The Corizes fashion beads and fetishes in the traditional Kewa method. Each stone is hand cut, shaped and polished to a smooth finish.

This spirit necklace was made of amber and turquoise disks which were hand shaped and strung in a graduated fashion along with silver beads. An amazing amber bear fetish pendant hangs from the beads beneath a single sterling silver stamped bead. Three small treasure charms hang from the bear—a sterling silver canoe, a warrior and a pinecone. The necklace is well strung, with beads falling in an elegant manner. It is rare to have a necklace made with amber, and the way James and Doris Coriz set the turquoise amidst the amber is very attractive. The bear fetish pendant with charms compliments the precisely carved and shaped beads.

The necklace came to us from the studio inventory of Popovi Da Studio of Indian Arts at San Ildefonso Pueblo. After the studio closed, Anita Da kept it as part of her collection, and gifted it to her granddaughter, from whom we obtained it. The piece is not signed, but the name J Coriz is written on one of the silver cones as a means of inventory documentation.

Condition: The Single Strand Turquoise and Amber Disc Necklace is in as-new condition.

Provenance: From the inventory of Anita and Popovi Da, given to their granddaughter from whom we obtained it.

Recommended Reading: American Indian Jewelry I; 1,200 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf