Alaric Polequaptewa — Hopi Silversmith

Alaric Polequaptewa "Learned at the Guild" and began silverwork at Shungopavi in 1991, according to Margaret Nickelson Wright's Hopi Silver, a register of Hopi smiths and their hallmarks (Wright 2003, p. 106). Wright adds that he "[w]as working with Roy Talaheftewa in 1997" (Wright 2003, p. 106).

Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks lists him as "Alaric Polequaptewa (Hopi)," working in overlay and active since the 1990s (Hougart 2022, p. 253).

His hallmark

Wright labels his mark "Winter Sun" (Wright 2003, p. 106). Hougart gives his marks as "Winter sun; POLEQUAPTEWA" (Hougart 2022, p. 253).

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References

  1. Wright, Margaret Nickelson. Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing. Revised edition. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2003.
  2. Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds and Traders. 5th edition. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
  3. Schaaf, Gregory, with Angie Yan Schaaf. American Indian Jewelry I: 1,200 Artist Biographies, ca. 1800-present. American Indian Art Series, Vol. 5. Santa Fe: CIAC Press, 2003. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2003.

From the Library: Schaaf, American Indian Jewelry I (2003)

2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.

Schaaf (2003) entered him as

“Alaric Polequaptewa (hallmark - winter sun)”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 259 [3]

Schaaf (2003, p. 259) recorded Alaric Polequaptewa as Hopi, active from about 1991 in silver overlay, a son of Riley Polequaptewa, who worked with Roy Talahaftewa, with his work at Alph Secakuku's Hopi Fine Arts. [3]

Field Notes by Mateo James

I notice the books give different years for his work with Roy Talahaftewa: Wright has 1997, Schaaf's 2003 register has 1987. Both date his start to about 1991, which fits Wright's year better, but I show each as printed.

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