Joe Reano — Kewa Pueblo (Santo Domingo) Silversmith
Joe Reano's necklaces carry their turquoise by name. Oscar T. Branson's Turquoise: The Gem of the Centuries shows a "Natural untreated Smokey Valley necklace by Joe Reano of Santo Domingo, Pueblo, New Mexico" (Branson 1975, p. 29), and features his necklaces again in its pages on the Lone Mountain mine (Branson 1975, pp. 46–47).
Ray Manley's Collecting Southwestern Indian Arts & Crafts shows "Natural Lone Mountain turquoise in jocla-type necklace made by Joe and Terry Reano" (Manley 1979, p. 46).
Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks lists him as Kewa, born in 1940, active since the 1970s, working in a traditional style, and a "Multiple award winner" (Hougart 2022, p. 265). The older books name his pueblo Santo Domingo; Kewa Pueblo (Santo Domingo) is the same pueblo under its reclaimed original name.
His hallmark
Hougart gives his mark as "J R", which "may be on an attached tag" (Hougart 2022, p. 265).
Own a piece with this mark, or know more about this artist? Contact T.Skies.
References
- Branson, Oscar T. Turquoise: The Gem of the Centuries. Santa Fe: Treasure Chest Publications, 1975.
- Manley, Ray. Ray Manley's Collecting Southwestern Indian Arts & Crafts. Text by Clara Lee Tanner and others; photography by Naurice Koonce, Ray Manley and Alan Manley. Tucson: Ray Manley Photography, 1979.
- 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.
- Dubin, Lois Sherr. North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment: From Prehistory to the Present. Original photography by Togashi, Paul Jones, and others. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1999. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1999.
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 marks:
“stamps JR on metal disk; a different colored bead at the clasp”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 269 [4]
Schaaf (2003, p. 269) recorded Joe B. Reano as a Santo Domingo jeweler and lapidarist active from before 1974, working with his wife Terry Reano, the father of Charlene L. Reano and brother of Mary Atencio, showing at Indian Market from 1974 to 2002 and winning Best of Division there in 1978. [4]
Schaaf (2003, p. 270) recorded his wife and collaborator, Terry Reano, as stamping an offset TOR. [4]
Schaaf (2003, p. 267) listed Joe B. Reano under JR in its hallmark index, initials it gave to eight makers including Joe L. Reano. [4]
From the Library: Dubin, North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment (1999)
1999 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1999, not today.
Speaking to Dubin for her 1999 book, Joe B. and Terry Reano said that
“as you cut and wet down natural turquoise, it smells like rain.”
— Dubin (1999), p. 460 [5]
Dubin (1999, p. 478) called Joe B. and Terry Reano preeminent turquoise beadworkers and described their methods as of 1999: every stone hand cut, shaped, drilled with a pump drill, hand rolled and polished, so that a strand could take three months and a single nugget three hours just to perforate. [5]
Speaking to Dubin for her 1999 book, Joe B. Reano recalled an order from an eighty-year-old woman:
“We told her it will take seven or eight years to get all the turquoise and she still wants it!”
— Dubin (1999), p. 478 [5]
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.