Betty Betoney — Navajo Silversmith
Betty Betoney's work sets needlepoint turquoise against silver. Lois Essary Jacka, in Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone, writes that "Billy and Betty Betoney combine finely executed silverwork with needlepoint turquoise (oblong stones pointed at each end), in a style adopted from the Zuni," and singles out a clip-on "necktie" among their pieces (Jacka 1995, p. 63).
Theda Bassman's The Beauty of Navajo Jewelry shows their work in Sleeping Beauty turquoise: one group in "overlay and channel work in a rug pattern" (Bassman 1997, p. 27), and a three-piece set with twelve Sleeping Beauty teardrop stones (Bassman 1997, p. 62).
Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks lists her as Navajo, born in 1934, and describes her work as "Needlepoint; cluster work" (Hougart 2022, p. 59).
Her hallmark
Hougart gives her mark as "B. BETONEY NAVAJO", a mark shared with Bill Betoney (Hougart 2022, p. 59).
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References
- Jacka, Lois Essary. Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone. Photographs by Jerry Jacka. Flagstaff: Northland Publishing, 1995.
- Bassman, Theda. The Beauty of Navajo Jewelry. Photography by Gene Balzer. Walnut, California: Kiva Publishing, 1997.
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds and Traders. 5th edition. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
- 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, p. 83) recorded Betty L. Betoney as active from about 1985 in needlepoint, cluster and petitpoint work, sometimes with her husband, Billy Betoney, Sr.; Schaaf named her an aunt of Lula Begay and related to Tommy Singer, and listed second prizes for necklaces and concha belts at the 1989 Indian Market. [4]
This profile is maintained in support of Native American silversmiths and compiled from published references. See something inaccurate, or want to add to it? Contact us.