Helen and Lincoln Zunie — Zuni Silversmiths
Helen and Lincoln Zunie were a Zuni couple who made channel and figural inlay jewelry together, often with horses, cows and deer. Gregory Schaaf's American Indian Jewelry I lists Helen L. Zunie and Lincoln Zunie as Zuni, active from the 1960s in mosaic inlay jewelry, Lincoln in stampwork as well, with cows, covered wagons and berry bushes among their favorite designs (Schaaf 2003, pp. 339–340). Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks describes their channel and figural inlay, often with horse, cow and deer motifs, and records Helen's death in 2008 and Lincoln's in 2019 (Hougart 2022, p. 352).
Theda and Michael Bassman's Zuni Jewelry pictures a channel inlay belt buckle of a horse, in turquoise, jet, spiny oyster shell, cowrie shell and black lip oyster shell, by Helen and Lincoln Zunie, among buckles made in 1991 (Bassman and Bassman 2006, p. 48).
Their hallmark
Schaaf and Hougart both record their shared stamp, H-L ZUNIE (Schaaf 2003, pp. 339–340; Hougart 2022, p. 352).
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References
- 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.
- 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.