Jan Loco Sterling Silver Pin “The Water Gourd” [SOLD]

This unusual dual eye motif is inscribed "The Water Gourd" and possibly represents the Sacred Twin Circles. This striking piece was made by Apache artist Jan Loco  (the great-granddaughter of Chief Loco). She is famous for her highly distinct, labor-intensive method of hand-fashioning sterling silver using only non-electrical hand tools — cutting the metal with heavy shears and meticulously hammering the surface with specially chosen river rocks to achieve that beautiful, organic, textured finish reminiscent of weathered stone or natural landscape.

The dual circular cutouts create a powerful symmetry. In Apache cosmology and broader Southwestern indigenous symbolism, pairs of circles can represent the duality of existence (the Sun and the Moon, the Twin War Gods of Apache lore, or physical and spiritual sight).

For Jan Loco, the texture itself is a symbol. By eschewing modern power tools and using stones from the earth, the dimpled, craggy surface represents a literal indentation of the natural world, honoring the rugged homeland of the Warm Springs Apache.

Condition: excellent

Provenance: this Jan Loco Sterling Silver Pin "The Water Gourd" is from the collection of a resident of California

Recommended Reading: Indian Jewelry of the American Southwest by Sarah Peabody and William Turnbaugh

TAGS: Southwest Indian Jewelry, Apache, Jan Loco