Inlay Maiden Dangle Earrings by Virgil and Shirley Benn

Virgil and Shirley Benn are so skilled in handcrafting inlay jewelry that they're able to make pieces that look more realistic and life-like than many others. Virgil is from Zuni Pueblo and Shirley Benn is of Hopi/Tewa descent. Together, they make a wonderful team. Look at the detail in these special inlay maiden earrings by Virgil and Shirley Benn. How striking is her face! She looks a little bit different in each earring, but she's oh-so-pretty.

The dangle earrings are silver with turquoise, shell, coral and other stone. They dangle 2" x 3/4" and are etched with a signature on the reverse. Posts for pierced ears.

These earrings are from the private, personal collection of Santa Fe American Indian art dealer Martha Hopkins Struever. Marti Struever had a particular fondness for the work of Virgil and Shirley Benn because Shirley is the daughter of potter and jeweler Daisy Hooee Nampeyo. Marti had been working on a book about Daisy and her contribution to Zuni inlay jewelry during the time she was married to Leo Poblano.