Duane Quam — Zuni Silversmith
Duane Quam made the silver housings for his wife Alice Quam's cluster work. Paula A. Baxter's Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry lists him as "Quam, Duane (8/15/19– , Zuni)" and records that Alice took up jewelry in earnest in 1945, after he came home from service in World War II, and that "she sets the stones and he makes the silver housing" (Baxter 2000, p. 146). Baxter dates the couple's cluster work from the late 1940s and records their awards at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial in 1987, 1988, 1992 and 1993 (Baxter 2000, pp. 33, 146).
Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks lists him as "Duane Quam (1919-?; Zuni)" and records that he and his wife learned cluster work from her parents (Hougart 2022, p. 258). Theda and Michael Bassman's Zuni Jewelry shows a turquoise cluster pin-pendant by Alice and Duane Quam, made in 1998 (Bassman and Bassman 2006, p. 6).
His hallmark
Hougart gives his mark as A & D Q, shared with Alice (Hougart 2022, p. 258). He has no mark of his own in the book; A. Q. and Q are Alice's (Hougart 2022, p. 257).
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References
- Baxter, Paula A., with Allison Bird-Romero. Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry: A Guide to History, People, and Terms. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 2000.
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds and Traders. 5th edition. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
- Bassman, Theda, and Michael Bassman. Zuni Jewelry. Photographs by Gene Balzer. Revised and expanded 3rd edition. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2006.
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.