Del Fred Masawytewa — Hopi Silversmith
Hallmark documented in: Hougart, Wright (Hopi Silver). Rendered from the documented mark, not a photograph.
Del Fred Masawytewa is a Hopi silversmith active since the 1990s. The Hougart record documents his work in nugget work, carved stones, and cobblestone and channel inlay — a varied technical range that includes both stone-setting and sculptural stone-carving practices.
Del Fred Masawytewa is the brother of Darren and Gary Masawytewa, placing him within a sibling group of Hopi silversmiths who share the Masawytewa family name. His mark variants, which incorporate a bear paw symbol, are characteristic of Hopi pictographic hallmarking traditions.
The Mark
“D M (with or without a bear paw); M (inside a bear paw)”
— Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. (2022).
Two mark variants are recorded: the initials D M with or without an accompanying bear paw, and the letter M enclosed within a bear paw. Both variants use the bear paw as a recurring pictographic element alongside the artist's initials.
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- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
From the Library: Wright, Hopi Silver (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
Sources
- Wright, Margaret Nickelson. Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing. Revised edition. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2003. Originally published by Northland Publishing. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2003.
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.