Etsitty-Tsosie
Overview
Etsitty-Tsosie (c.1880–1937) was a Navajo silversmith of the early trading-post era — Hougart dates him c.1880 to 1937, the birth year approximate. He worked near Gallup in stamp work, in silver and copper, and set stones. The entry singles out his intricate stamp work on butterfly designs and concho belts, and records that he worked for C. G. Wallace and also for others. He was an award winner in 1930s exhibitions.
Collector's caution: His documented mark is crossed arrows — in several variations, sometimes crude and lacking definition, in Hougart's own words. A pictorial stamp with multiple documented variations, some of them crude, is a hard mark to pin down: attribution to Etsitty-Tsosie needs the full picture — period, construction, and the quality of the stamp work, never the arrows alone.
The Mark
"Etsitty-Tsosie' (also …) (c.1880-1937; Navajo). Stamp work; silver, copper; set stones. Worked near Gallup. Intricate stamp work on butterfly designs, concho be[lts] … Wallace and also for oth[ers]. Mark: Crossed arrows (several variations; sometimes crude and lacking defi[nition]) … winner in 1930s exhibitions"
— Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. (2022).
The marks as documented in Hougart's hallmark reference: Crossed arrows (several variations; sometimes crude and lacking definition).
References
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
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Name card shown; hallmark photo to come.