Four Strand Bird & Bear Fetish Necklace

Eighty seven exquisite fetishes grace the very fine four strands of live shell heishi in this delicate necklace by George Haloo Cheechee.

Carving since the 1930's, this wonderful artist from Zuni Pueblo had forty years experience when this necklace of 82 birds and 5 bears was created in the mid 1970's using a variety of materials: red coral, red abalone shell, gold lip shell, white mother of pearl, black serpentine, light and dark green serpentine.

Mr. Cheechee's work is a subtle rainbow. He takes advantage of color variations in the material to produce specific markings on his petite creatures. This necklace is in flawless condition, carefully worn and kept. Now it is ready to be treasured by another fortunate person.

George Haloo Cheechee and his beautiful work are featured in Volume 1 of Ed and Barbara Bell's Zuni the Art and the People, published in 1975. Necklaces of this quality from Mr. Cheechee are now as rare as they are beautiful to look at and wear.

Also referred to as George Haloo Cheechee or George Chee Chee Haloo), this Zuni jeweler is best known for his bird fetish necklaces. Songbirds are his favorite type of birds, using turquoise, coral, mother of pearl and shell. "For over four decades, George Halloo Cheechee was a respected jeweler and fetish carver. His songbirds are animated with their heads in various positions." American Indian Jewelry I 1,200 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf

This artist is referenced in several books citing noteworthy American Indian jewelers.