Zuni Pueblo Mosaic Inlay Buffalo Katsina Ring [SOLD]

The American buffalo or bison is a symbol of abundance and manifestation. A lesson to learn might be that one does not have to struggle to survive if the right action is joined by the right prayer (Lakota). The birth of a sacred white buffalo is a sign of hope and an indication of good times to come. Does this mean that if you own or wear this ring, that this will come true for you? Adobe Gallery hopes so.

This artist chose an immensely powerful symbol for this ring. One of the first Zuni Pueblo artists to use three-dimensional mosaic in jewelry was Leo Poblano. He was influenced by his wife, Daisy Hooee Nampeyo, who had studied relief sculpture at L'Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. The process of making mosaic jewelry is incredibly difficult and adding another dimension only increases the complexity of the task.

While we are unable to identify the maker of this Buffalo Katsina Ring as Leo Poblano, the artist had the skills and style of Leo Poblano. The stones were precisely cut to fit together to form the mask of a Buffalo Katsina. The mouth of the katsina is raised and set within a white mother of pearl mask. The entire mosaic is placed in an elegant sterling silver setting. The ring was made during the mid-20th Century. It is a spectacular piece of jewelry.

Condition: The Zuni Pueblo Mosaic Inlay Buffalo Katsina Ring is in very good condition, the mosaic is tight and all of the stones are intact

Provenance: From a collection in Colorado

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

Relative Links: Zuni Pueblo, Daisy Hooee Nampeyo, jewelry, Ring, katsina