Vintage Zuni Sun Katsina Pin Pendant and Earring Set

Vintage Zuni jewelry is an area, where you'll frequently find strong attributions to early masters that are often questionable in their accuracy. The reason why: the vast majority of earlier Zuni jewelry is not hallmarked and certain components of both technique and design crossed over from artist to artist. In fact, some pieces were even joint efforts between more than one artist. Therefore, without proper documentation, we don't know with absolute certainty who made certain vintage Zuni pieces. And that is absolutely okay. Not knowing the artist does not take away from the unique design, the technical mastery and the complexity of Zuni inlay jewelry - all made in one TINY area of the world. 

Take this vintage Zuni sun katsina set of a pin/pendant and earrings. We no longer have the documentation to tell us which Zuni jeweler made this dazzling inlay jewelry with its winged faces and sterling silver ruffs, but does it make them any less cool? Does it make them any less marvelous in their rare matched sun katsina design? Does it make them less likely to turn heads?

The pin/pendant and the earrings are set with turquoise, coral, jet and mother of pearl in both channel and mosaic inlay. The earrings measure 1 1/8" x 1 1/4" wide and they've been converted to posts for pierced ears. The pin/pendant measures 1 5/8" x 1 3/4" wide.

When they were  collected by their most recent owner many years ago, the price was $1295 even back then, and the pin still has its earlier handwritten description on the reverse calling it a "museum quality" set. It's a sales superlative you'd never find Turquoise & Tufa using, but it's kind of neat that the last seller also found the Zuni set kinda fabulous. Here's hoping you will too.