Sterling Silver Cuff with Step Design [SOLD]

This is a highly skilled silver bracelet cuff made by Hopi jeweler Howard Sice. It has an extraordinary shine, and is beautifully polished. Around the bracelet, Sice has included a strip of traditional Hopi designs, each of which mirrors the other. The symbol that is featured is a step motif, which each contains an ascending two, two, and one step, respectively. Step symbols are meant to convey a strong foundation and the reaching for growth and higher values. As each of these symbols has a mirrored element, this likely represents the duality principle of life and the balance of all things in nature.

The texture is very intriguing with this bracelet, as one side of the mirrored step symbol is etched while the other is polished. This creates a fascinating dichotomy and gives the wearer two different feels to the touch.

The backside of the bracelet is signed  Sice Sterling.

Jewelry artist Howard Sice is known for his etching technique, creating delicate designs on a silver surface. He has won numerous awards and has exhibited at Santa Fe's Indian Market, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, and Arizona State Museum.

Howard Sice (1948- ) is the son of a Hopi mother and Laguna Pueblo father. He served in the United States Air Force for 20 years. After finishing his military career, he began a new career in silversmithing. "After leaving the military, Sice returned to Tucson—where he had been stationed for a time—and dedicated himself to becoming an artist. He is well known for beautifully crafted silver boxes and seed pots."

HOW TO MEASURE YOUR WRIST FOR BRACELET SIZE

Condition: good condition with minor scratches

Provenance: this Sterling Silver Cuff with Step Design is from the collection of a client of Adobe Gallery

Reference: Reassessing Hallmarks of Native Southwest Jewelry—Artists, Traders, Guilds, and the Government, by Pat Messier & Kim Messier. Schiffer Publishing, 2014

TAGS: Hopi Pueblo, Laguna Pueblo, Southwest Indian Jewelry, Howard Sice