Inlay Silver Collar Necklace Featuring Blue Gem Turquoise, Malachite, Ironwood and Jet

This dramatic yet very controlled collar most certainly fits the category "art to wear". Highly sculptural and at the same time in possession of fine lines, textures and colors of a more painterly expression--this wonderful piece has a life all its own, especially in the face peering at you from within the confines of a crescent band of inlay.  The large pillow-cut pieces of deep green malachite and sky blue turquoise alternative with life forms of salvaged ivory to either side of the striking face right of center.

Substantial enough at first glance be taken for a tufa casting, even in part, upon closer examination the entire of it is found to be a fabricated work of heavy sheet silver rolled from ingot, layered to achieve the desired thickness and create form.  Its weight is more comforting than burdensome, with adjustment of length possible depending on where the hook is placed to close the handsome hand-made chain.

Start to finish, this well-conceived and well-executed piece is truly a statement for jewelry as a meaningful art form.

This artist began making silver work in 1948, originally from Shipaulovi. A jogging vertical arrow shape references Numkina's hallmark meant to represent lightening.

Dawson Numkina is listed in Margaret Nickelson Wright's book Hopi Silver The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing.