Vintage Zuni Wolf and Bear Fetish Carving Set

Here are two of the greatest guardians of the forest, a wolf and a bear. They're vintage Zuni fetishes beautifully hand carved of Picasso marble inlaid with turquoise eyes.

Description: Each of the two fetishes has its own name and personality. Lisbeth is the bear and Greta is the wolf. Lisbeth's a keen observer of the world perched reverently upon her haunches, and Greta wears an elegant medicine bundle on her back with sacred materials of turquoise, coral, heishi beads and a shell arrowhead. Greta's bundle provides healing, protection and strengthening of prayers. Together they quietly sit, side by side, pondering life.

Lisbeth represents a bear spirit which, for the Zuni people, stands as guardian of the West, one of the SIX cardinal directions. She's meant to bestow power, courage, and strength just as you might think.

Greta holds a wolf spirit, guardian of the East. She's stands for loyalty to the pack or the family.

Some Zuni fetishes are to be used only in religious ceremonies, but Lisbeth and Greta are created just for you - to display, enjoy, admire, and use as totems that might help you get through some of life's stormier times.

Dimensions: This lovely pair is larger and more substantial than some other fetishes.

Lisbeth the bear measures 1 3/4" tall x 1" wide and 1" deep. She does not appear to be signed.

Greta the wolf measures 2" tall x 5/8" wide and 1 7/8" deep. She is signed with an "EB" on the bottom.

Provenance: They are being sold as a pair because they look so good together, and they've actually sat side by side for many years. They come from the collection of a beautiful woman who grew up in Germany during World War II. Post war, she moved to the United States and became a model in New York City. She eventually married, left her modeling career, and moved to El Paso with her husband. In El Paso, she first experienced the charm of Native American art and jewelry. 

Many years later, she attended her first of several celebrated Native American art field trips hosted by Martha Struever. During this time, she expanded her collection of Native American art and jewelry. Her collection wasn't vast, but it was extremely meaningful to her.

After a long and full life, this dear woman recently passed away. She knew that her collection which she lovingly called her "treasures" was to be handled by Turquoise & Tufa, and she expressed her wishes that these dear fetishes would bring as much joy to us as they did to her.