Stamped Silver 42-Bead Necklace by Cippy Crazyhorse [SOLD]

The roots of Native American jewelry are many and varied.  Southwest Indian Jewelry has been influenced by diverse forms and techniques, from prehistoric hand-cut turquoise beads to the work of Georg Jensen and the Danish Modernist movement. After initially learning the art of silversmithing from Mexican plateros (or “metalsmiths”), artists adapted their methods and styles to meet the growing market of tourists visiting the American Southwest.

Frank Patania’s Thunderbird Studio was an innovative center of technique and design in the mid-twentieth Century. Patania’s work was informed by the sophisticated metalworking methods he had learned in Europe as well as traditional Native American design. Considered to be one of the 20th century’s greatest silversmiths, Joe Quintana apprenticed with Frank Patinia in the 1960s and went on to have a successful career. His son Cipriano followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a master jeweler in his own right. In 1975, with his father’s blessings, Cipriano changed his name to Cippy Crazy Horse.  He is recognized as one of the Southwest’s leading contemporary jewelers. The winner of multiple awards, his work can be found in collections world-wide.

The classic lines and elegant form of this beautiful bead necklace reflect the aesthetic and technique of the Thunderbird Studio—the workshop of Crazy Horse’s father. With precise craftsmanship, the artist crafted 42 round silver beads.  Each bead is flawlessly stamped with two rows of small crescents. The beads are strung on a silver chain and there are two cones at the ends which are engraved with the artist’s hallmark. It is an exquisite piece of jewelry created by one of the foremost jewelry artists working today.

Condition: The Stamped Silver 42-Bead Necklace by Cippy Crazyhorse is in excellent condition.  There is a slight patina from loving wear that could be polished if desired.  

Provenance: From a Washington state collection

Recommended Reading: Southwestern Indian Jewelry by Dexter Cirillo