Joe Josytewa — Hopi Silversmith
Joe Josytewa learned from Jesse and Louie Josytewa and began silverwork at Shungopavi in 1988, according to Margaret Nickelson Wright's Hopi Silver, a register of Hopi smiths and their hallmarks, (Wright 2003, p. 100).
His 1992 work in Theda Bassman's The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry includes concha belts (Bassman 1993, p. 31) and pieces in 14-carat gold on silver (Bassman 1993, p. 51). Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks lists him as Hopi, working in overlay and active since the 1980s (Hougart 2022, p. 163).
His hallmark
Wright labels his mark "Snowflake & Name" (Wright 2003, p. 100). Hougart describes it as a snowflake, sometimes with "Joe Josytewa" or "Josytewa" in script (Hougart 2022, p. 163).
Own a piece with this mark, or know more about this artist? Contact T.Skies.
References
- Wright, Margaret Nickelson. Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing. Revised edition. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2003.
- Bassman, Theda. The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry. Photography by Gene Balzer. Walnut, California: Kiva Publishing, 1993.
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds and Traders. 5th edition. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
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.