Harold Lovato — Kewa (Santo Domingo) Silversmith
Harold Lovato cast his jewelry on two sides. William and Sarah Turnbaugh, in Indian Jewelry of the American Southwest, describe him as a Santo Domingo Pueblo craftsman known for his two-sided castwork, whose pieces often carry a more complex design on the reverse (Turnbaugh and Turnbaugh 2007, p. 72).
Mark Bahti writes that "Both Harold and Anthony followed their grandfather's tradition of sand-cast work" (Bahti 2007, p. 102). Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks lists him as Kewa, 1954 to 1997, active from the 1970s until his death in 1997, and notes that "Some cast work may also have channel inlay; bracelets; pendants" (Hougart 2022, p. 199).
His hallmark
Turnbaugh describes his hallmark as "initials plus a corn plant," cast into many of his two-sided pieces (Turnbaugh and Turnbaugh 2007, p. 36). Hougart gives it as "H L (conjoined, sometimes with a cornstalk)" (Hougart 2022, p. 199). Homer Lovato, listed directly below him, marks "H. L."; the corn plant is the difference.
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References
- Turnbaugh, William A., and Sarah Peabody Turnbaugh. Indian Jewelry of the American Southwest. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2007 (first published 1988).
- Bahti, Mark. Silver + Stone: Profiles of American Indian Jewelers. Tucson: Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2007.
- 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) recorded his mark:
“Harold Lovato (stamped with joined initials sometimes with corn symbol)”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 226 [4]
Schaaf (2003, p. 226) recorded Harold Lovato as Santo Domingo, active from about the 1970s to 1997 in contemporary silver sandcast and tufacast jewelry, a son of Sedelio F. Lovato and Mary C. Lovato and a brother of Anthony, Roderick and Nathan Lovato, using a technique developed by his grandfather and father, with Kokopelli, spirals and hand prints among his designs. [4]
Schaaf (2003) noted that he decorated his castings
“often covering both the inside and the outside”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 226 [4]
Schaaf's 2003 hallmark index gives HL to three makers, one a couple:
“HL (Helen Long, Harold Lovato, Helen & Louie Waseta)”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 209 [4]
Field Notes by Mateo James
I notice the books give different birth years. Hougart lists 1954, while Schaaf's 2003 entry gives a lifespan from about 1950. I show both as printed.
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.