Zuni Single Row Petit-point Bracelet with 14 stones [SOLD]

Zuni artisans have been working with small pieces of stone to create works of art since prehistoric times. Archeological digs at nearby Chaco Canyon have uncovered works of art made from turquoise. Over the years, archaeologists have found more than 200,000 turquoise pieces at various sites in the Chaco Canyon area. Archeologists theorize that Chaco Canyon was a distribution center for turquoise. Roads led out of Chaco heading north to Mesa Verde and south towards Mexico. It is believed traders traveled these ancient highways bringing turquoise to the valley of Mexico, California and beyond. In the late 19th Century, the Zuni learned how to work silver from their Navajo neighbors. It is no surprise the Zuni combined their skill in lapidary work with silver. One early style was petit-point jewelry. The Zuni petit-point and needlepoint styles got their name from the fine embroidery work that was popular at the beginning of the 20th Century.

This single row petit-point bracelet has 14 perfectly rounded sky-blue stones. They are set in handmade bezels along a narrow band of silver. In between each stone is a pair of even smaller drops of silver. The narrow shank is stamped with feathery, crescent shaped designs. The piece dates to the first part of the 20th Century and is unsigned.

Condition: The Zuni Single Row Petit-point Bracelet with 14 stones is in very good condition considering the age. There are no missing stones.

Provenance:  From an estate in Oklahoma

Recommended Reading: Zuni Jewelry by Theda Bassman