Hopicrafts: History of the Hopi Silver Shop at Kykotsmovi

Hopicrafts was a private Hopi silver shop owned by the brothers Wayne and Emory Sekaquaptewa. It began in Phoenix as Hopi Enterprise around 1961–62, moved to Kykotsmovi, and closed in 1983 (Wright 2003, pp. 46, 49, 113). It was not the Hopi Silvercraft Guild. Margaret Nickelson Wright, author of Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing, warned that "the names of Hopicrafts, a private business, and the Hopi Silvercraft Guild are easily confused" (Wright 2003, p. 46), and the Heard Museum's library authority file ends the same way: "Do not confuse with the Hopi Silvercraft Guild." (Heard Museum 2024). For the Guild, see Hopi Silvercraft Guild.

Founding

The brothers learned silverwork in Phoenix from Harry Sakyesva, "an excellent smith" who "was in ill health and lived with them while Wayne was working for a radio station" (Wright 2003, p. 46). Wright's register dates their start at the bench to 1960 (Wright 2003, p. 81). In Phoenix they founded Hopi Enterprise and "hired another brother and Bernard Dawahoya and Eldon James as silversmiths. Peter Shelton, Jr. was hired as a designer." (Wright 2003, p. 46). Then: "The business was moved to Kykotsmovi and the name was soon changed to Hopicrafts." (Wright 2003, p. 46). Wright does not name the other brother. Our sources don't record the Phoenix address or the date of the move.

The start year is where the sources split. Wright's narrative has the shop opening at Kykotsmovi in 1961 (Wright 2003, p. 46); her own hallmark table gives 1962 (Wright 2003, p. 113), as do Margery Bedinger (Bedinger 1973, p. 209) and Bille Hougart (Hougart 2022, p. 361). The Heard says only "In operation from 1960s-1980s." (Heard Museum 2024). We write c. 1961–62. Writing in 1973, Bedinger described "a quality silver shop called Hopi Crafts similar in aims to the White Hogan in Scottsdale" (Bedinger 1973, p. 209).

Place splits too. "The Hopicrafts salesroom was moved in 1971 to the new Cultural Center at Shungopavi, though the workshop remained at Kykotsmovi." (Wright 2003, p. 46). Hougart says the business "operated on Second Mesa" (Hougart 2022, p. 361), and a Bedinger photo caption reads "Silver by Hopi Crafts, Oraibi" (Bedinger 1973, p. 209). We follow Wright.

People

Wayne "was active with business matters and made limited amount of jewelry" (Hougart 2022, p. 282). Emory "was the first Hopi to earn a law degree, and he spearheaded the arduous and important task of creating the first Hopi dictionary" (Bahti 2007, p. 73). Wayne died in 1979 (Wright 2003, p. 81); his son, Phillip Sekaquaptewa, is on Wright's list of smiths who learned at the shop (Wright 2003, p. 88). See Wayne and Emory Sekaquaptewa, Harry Sakyesva and Phillip Sekaquaptewa.

The first smiths became its teachers. Bernard Dawahoya "worked for Hopicrafts when it opened in Phoenix and moved with them to the Kykotsmovi shop where he helped instruct their smiths"; Eldon James made the same move (Wright 2003, p. 81). Glenn Lucas "Learned at Hopicrafts and served as instructor." (Wright 2003, p. 83). The apprentices Raymond and Tony Kyasyousie recalled that Lucas "taught less by direct instruction than by watching the men work and advising them"; they practiced "in less expensive copper and brass first" (Bahti 2007, p. 73).

Some came in through the back door. Raymond Sequaptewa (note the spelling; not the owners' surname) was hired "cleaning up after the silversmiths went home," when "There were about six or seven silversmiths working there." Wayne caught him practicing on scraps. "He and [his brother] Emory would review my work, pick out a few, and the rest would go back into the scrap bucket." He stayed about eight years, until Wayne's death (Bahti 2007, pp. 158–160). Gary Yoyokie "worked at Hopicraft, sweeping and doing other chores during the summers while he was still in high school" (Wright 2003, p. 60). The shop also bought outside work: Victor Coochwytewa sold his silver individually, "even selling it to Hopicraft for re-sale" (Wright 2003, p. 57).

Marks and what to look for

Hougart records the shop mark as "HC (conjoined, chopped; there are many variations)" (Hougart 2022, p. 361). The Heard lists "HC" and "HE" among its name variants for Hopicrafts Shop (Heard Museum 2024); our sources don't say what "HE" stands for. Hougart also records "SEKAQUAPTEWA and a Hopicrafts logo" as the mark Wayne shared with Emory (Hougart 2022, p. 282).

A shop mark names the shop, not the smith. Wright: "Workers for Hopicrafts formerly marked their silver with the firm's symbol only, with the exception of a few special pieces. Later, some of the smiths stamped their own initials on the Hopicrafts pieces regularly." (Wright 2003, p. 69). And some pieces had no single maker at all: they "were made by several smiths doing the work on each piece, with each man performing one set operation" (Wright 2003, p. 48). An HC piece without initials is a Hopicrafts piece, full stop. Hougart notes that work by Raymond Kyasyousie, Sharold Nutumya, Lawrence Pooyouma, and Doran and Elgene Sehongva "may be marked for Hopicrafts" (Hougart 2022, pp. 175, 230, 254, 281), and that Dawahoya's earlier pieces "may have a Hopi Guild mark or a Hopicrafts mark" (Hougart 2020, pp. 28–29).

What the hand shows: "close attention paid to even sawing, careful filing, and fine polishing," down to "the silver tips on the braid of a bola tie" (Wright 2003, p. 46). A textured matte black background, used "From the beginning" (Wright 2003, p. 48). And a steel-wool final polish, "which makes a satin rather than a bright finish" (Wright 2003, p. 48).

Legacy

It started badly with its neighbors. "The establishment of Hopicrafts caused hard feelings for a time," Wright wrote, and the multi-smith pieces intensified them (Wright 2003, p. 48). Still, "The competition of Hopicrafts caused a general upgrading of the quality of all the Hopi jewelry" (Wright 2003, p. 46), "even though at times the designs became increasingly baroque" (Wright 2003, pp. 48–49). Wright credited designer Peter Shelton, Jr. and the shop with "The use of Hohokam figures, animal and human figures in motion, and elaborate detailing" in later Hopi overlay (Wright 2003, pp. 46–48), and found its textured backgrounds in "widespread use by many Hopi silversmiths" (Wright 2003, p. 48).

After Wayne's death in 1979 "the shop remained in operation for a few years, finally closing in 1983" (Wright 2003, p. 49). Our sources don't record who ran it in those years or why it closed. Its real product was people: our own count of Wright's register finds about 45 smiths listed as having learned at Hopicrafts or worked there (Wright 2003, pp. 81–94).

Sources

  1. Wright, Margaret Nickelson. Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing. Revised edition, 2003. pp. 46, 48–49, 57, 60, 69, 81–94, 113.
  2. Bahti, Mark. Silver + Stone: Profiles of American Indian Jewelers. 2007. pp. 73, 158–160.
  3. Bedinger, Margery. Indian Silver: Navajo and Pueblo Jewelers. 1973. p. 209.
  4. Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th edition. 2022. pp. 175, 230, 254, 281, 282, 361.
  5. Hougart, Bille. 100 Collectible Native American Silversmiths and Their Hallmarks. 2020. pp. 28–29.
  6. Heard Museum. Native American Artists Resource Collection (NAARC) Thesaurus, "Hopicrafts Shop" entry and mark variants. 2024.

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