Trade Bead Necklace with Silver Walata Idye Cruciform, Jewelry by Kateri Weiss

Silver ingot from coin, sterling in purity, glass and phenolic resin beads were used to create the components in this necklace.

Silver for the walata idye pendant and matching silver beads were multi-sourced, smelted and worked from sheet and wire rolled and drawn from the resulting ingot.  Construction is entirely fabricated using hard and medium solders and primitive tools.

The design is from Southern Mauritania and was worn throughout Morocco and the Maghreb which includes Algeria, Tunisia and western Libya.  Venitian lampwork yellow glass beads with applied cruciform cane decoration and clear blue glass beads from Canton China have been incorporated with phenolic resin "amber" simulants brought in with trade from Europe.  The style and color scheme of this necklace are typical of those worn in layers by Berber woman of the Maghreb region.

Originally from Flint, Michigan, ne Kateri Marie Dufault, Mrs. Weiss earned scholarships to attend Interlochen Center for the Arts and the University of Ann Arbor. She has been cutting turquoise garnered from a large number of different mines since 1972, and is entirely aware of its unique qualities. A professional sculptor, painter and designer, she has a background in engineering and architectural design to include drafting on a contract basis for fine jewelers as well as architectural offices. This highly capable woman is also a recognized expert in verifying the authenticity of Zuni fetish carvings including artists such as Leekya Deyuse and his Zuni peers.