Nancy Edaakie — Zuni Silversmith
Zuni silversmith. Profiled in Mark Bahti’s Silver + Stone (2007).
Nancy Edaakie, a Zuni jeweler, was profiled with her husband, Dennis Edaakie, in Mark Bahti's Silver + Stone (2007).
The Mark
Recorded mark: DENNIS AND NANCY EDAAKIE, from about 1983, shared with her husband, Dennis (Bahti (2007, p. 46); Hougart (2022)).
From the Library: Bahti, Silver + Stone: Profiles of American Indian Jewelers (2007)
A 2007 profile, reviewed and corrected by the artists themselves before publication. Anything described as current describes 2006-2007, not today.
According to Bahti (2007, p. 44), Nancy Edaakie was born into the Frog Clan in 1937 and did not begin making jewelry until after she and Dennis married in 1954. [1]
Bahti (2007, p. 44) described the couple's inlay: the design is cut out of one sheet of silver and overlaid onto another solid sheet, and the recessed area is set with stone and shell. [1]
As Dennis Edaakie told Bahti (2007) of their early collaboration:
“When I got into birds she was doing the flowers and leaves and stuff like that. Later on she learned to make birds.”
— Bahti (2007), p. 46 [1]
According to Bahti (2007, p. 46), their hallmark changed to reflect her part in the work: from the parrot-beak hallmark (1965), to DENNIS E (around 1970), and finally DENNIS AND NANCY EDAAKIE (from about 1983 on). [1]
Bahti (2007, p. 46) noted that Nancy recalled hummingbird and apple-blossom designs among the ideas suggested by their dealer Ruth Ingram. [1]
Family in the directory: Dennis Edaakie · Dale (Myron) Edaakie
From the Library: Schaaf, American Indian Jewelry I (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
Schaaf (2003) gave the couple's shared marks with dates:
“hallmark - parrot's beak, 1965-70; Dennis E., early 1970s; Dennis and Nancy Edaakie, 1975-?”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 146 [3]
Schaaf (2003, p. 146) recorded Nancy Edaakie as Zuni, active from 1965 in mosaic and inlay jewelry, including reversible pendants, sharing the couple's prizes at the Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup and the Albuquerque Indian Market, and listed the Indian Craft Shop in Washington, D.C., and Cameron Trading Post among the galleries carrying their work as of 2003. [3]
From the Library: Bassman and Bassman, Zuni Jewelry (2006)
2006 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2006, not today.
Bassman and Bassman (2006) pictured a pin made in 1991 by Nancy and Dennis Edaakie:
“Inlay and etched inlay of spotted owl made of turquoise, coral, jet and abalone by Nancy and Dennis Edaakie.”
— Bassman and Bassman (2006), p. 28 [4]
On the same page, Bassman and Bassman (2006) showed a matching set:
“Inlay necklace and earrings by Dennis & Nancy Edaakie.”
— Bassman and Bassman (2006), p. 28 [4]
Bassman and Bassman (2006) pictured a bola tie by Nancy and Dennis Edaakie, from a collection made in 1991:
“Inlay and etched inlay of eagle and loon made of turquoise, coral, jet, mother-of-pearl and gold lip mother-of-pearl by Nancy and Dennis Edaakie.”
— Bassman and Bassman (2006), p. 34 [4]
Bassman and Bassman (2006, p. 34) pictured two more 1991 inlay and etched inlay bola ties by the couple: a spotted owl and a pheasant, in turquoise, coral, jet, mother-of-pearl and abalone (the pheasant with penn shell). [4]
Bassman and Bassman (2006) pictured a 1991 pendant by Nancy and her husband Dennis:
“Two-sided pendant of cardinal design made of turquoise, coral, jet, mother-of-pearl, gold lip mother-of-pearl and abalone by Nancy and Dennis Edaakie.”
— Bassman and Bassman (2006), p. 55 [4]
Field Notes by Mateo James
I notice the two books date the shared mark differently. Bahti's 2007 profile has DENNIS AND NANCY EDAAKIE from about 1983 on, while Schaaf's 2003 entry dates the Dennis and Nancy Edaakie mark from 1975. Both agree on the order of the marks, so I show each date as printed.
Sources
- Bahti, Mark. Silver + Stone: Profiles of American Indian Jewelers. Tucson: Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2007. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2007.
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022. Cited for the recorded hallmark.
- 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.
- Bassman, Theda, and Michael Bassman. Zuni Jewelry. Revised and Expanded 3rd Edition. Photographs by Gene Balzer. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 2006 (first published 1992). Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2006.
Know more about Nancy? Contact T.Skies.
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