Paul Saufkie — Hopi Silversmith Hallmark
Hopi · documented in the T.Skies hallmark library
Paul Saufkie (1904–1998; Hopi) was active from the 1920s through 1993, making him one of the longest-active figures in Hopi silversmithing. His techniques included overlay, stone work, appliqué, and heavy gauge silver. His early career included silversmith work for the Fred Harvey Company at the Grand Canyon and for Vaughn's Indian Store in Phoenix, AZ.
Between 1948 and 1950 he taught silver smithing and design at Hopi, alongside fellow artist and brother-in-law Fred Kabotie, as part of the post–World War II G.I. Bill training program. Jacka (1995, p. 70) also credits Paul Saufkie and Fred Kabotie with the overlay technique, which she wrote "was originated in the late 1930s"; the Hopi overlay guide sets her date beside the other books. [4] Saufkie was a co-founder of the Hopi Silver Craft Guild in 1949. His early silver work was made with traditional technology, including hand buffing and home-made solder.
His sons Andrew Saufkie and Lawrence Saufkie, and his grandson Ruben Saufkie, all became documented Hopi silversmiths carrying forward the family tradition. Lawrence Saufkie's wife, Griselda Saufkie, was a 2008 SWAIA Lifetime Achievement award recipient and 1998 Arizona Indian Living Treasure. Ruben Saufkie is the son of Paul Saufkie, Jr. and grandson of Paul Saufkie.
The mark
The mark is a snow cloud rendered with three, four, or five falling snow lines. Pieces without the Hopi Guild stamp may postdate his formal Guild membership.
References
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
- Bedinger, Margery. Indian Silver: Navajo and Pueblo Jewelers. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1973. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1973.
- Wright, Margaret Nickelson. Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing. Revised edition. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2003. Originally published by Northland Publishing. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2003.
- Bassman, Theda. The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry. Photography by Gene Balzer. Walnut, California: Kiva Publishing, 1993. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1993.
- Jacka, Lois Essary. Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone. Photographs by Jerry Jacka. Flagstaff: Northland Publishing, 1995. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1995.
- Adair, John. The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths. The Civilization of the American Indian Series. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1944. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1944.
- Baxter, Paula A., with Allison Bird-Romero. Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry: A Guide to History, People, and Terms. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 2000. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2000.
- 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.
Know more about this artist? Contact T.Skies. See also: Andrew Saufkie and Ruben Saufkie (sons and grandson in the Saufkie family tradition).
Family Links
- Father of Lawrence Saufkie.
From the Library: Bedinger, Indian Silver (1973)
1973 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1973, not today.
According to Bedinger (1973, p. 202), Paul Saufkie taught technique in the first Hopi veterans' silversmithing class, which began in February 1947 and graduated in January 1949. [1]
According to Bedinger (1973, p. 210), the Museum of Northern Arizona's dated pieces trace his growth: in 1941 he worked in the general Navajo tradition with Hopi motifs; by 1947 the Hopi influence was stronger but Navajo symmetry remained; and a buckle cast in 1949 showed a mature artist combining Navajo sculptural weight with Hopi asymmetry. [1]
Writing in 1973, Bedinger judged the 1949 piece:
“A buckle cast in 1949 shows him to be a mature artist, keeping what he likes of the Navajo but adding his own ideas.”
— Bedinger (1973), p. 210 [1]
From the Library: Wright, Hopi Silver (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
According to Wright (2003, p. 12), Paul Saufkie was taught by his father, Andrew Humiquaptewa of Shungopavi, a blacksmith who had taught himself silverwork. [2]
According to Wright (2003, p. 13), Paul Saufkie recalled that his father first worked in copper and brass, and that a big brass hoe his father made was still in existence. [2]
According to Wright (2003, p. 21), Paul Saufkie of Shungopavi first worked in silver in the 1920s under his father, Andrew Humiquaptewa, and as a capable blacksmith became proficient in both cast and hammered silver. [2]
According to Wright (2003, p. 21), after teaching the veterans' classes Saufkie ran a store on the outskirts of Shungopavi for a number of years, and that work, with the large amount of weaving he did for his family, kept him from making much jewelry after the 1950s. [2]
According to Wright (2003, p. 36), Paul Saufkie made several of the Museum of Northern Arizona's suggested designs very successfully, took advice from the California craft teacher Glen Lukens on aircraft silver solder and on oxidizing the background in different shades, and by 1941 was working on designs of his own in a similar style. [2]
According to Wright (2003, p. 38), the veterans' classes began in February 1947, with Saufkie hired as the technical instructor. [2]
According to Wright (2003, p. 72), Paul Andrew was the son of Andrew; he later used one of his Hopi names, Saufkie, as a last name, and all his children came to use it as their last name. [2]
According to Wright (2003, p. 127), John Adair listed Paul Saufkie among the working silversmiths at Shongopovi in 1938, and the 1939 list published in Plateau 12 spells his name Paul Sifki. [2]
According to Wright (2003, p. 88), the brothers Elliot and Lauren Koinva of Shungopavi, who began in 1974 and 1973, were both grandsons of Paul Saufkie. [2]
According to Wright (2003, p. 75), Paul Saufkie, Sr., of the Snow clan at Shungopavi, began silverwork in the 1920s, and the hallmark shown in his row is labelled 'Snow Cloud'; the row adds that he made very little silver for fifteen years but continued working until 1993. [2]
From the Library: Bassman, The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry (1993)
1993 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1993, not today.
Bassman (1993) pictured one of his earliest recorded pieces:
“Bracelet with rectangular turquoise stone made in 1920 by Paul Saufkie.”
— Bassman (1993), p. 3 [3]
From the Library: Adair, The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths (1944)
1944 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1944, not today.
Adair (1944, p. 194), spelling the name Paul Saufki, listed him among the Hopi silversmiths at Shongopovi in 1938. [5]
From the Library: Baxter, Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry (2000)
2000 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2000, not today.
In her 2000 encyclopedia, Baxter wrote:
“The overlay style and its technique were taught by artist Fred Kabotie (1900-1986) and Shungopovi silversmith Paul Saufkie (ca. 1910-1998), with governmental assistance.”
— Baxter (2000), p. 72 [6]
Baxter's 2000 entry heads him:
“Saufkie, Paul (ca. 1910-1998, Hopi)”
— Baxter (2000), p. 156 [6]
According to Baxter (2000, p. 156), Saufkie and his cousin Fred Kabotie, already a noted Hopi artist, taught silver jewelry-making to Hopi veterans of World War II and stimulated the design and production of the distinctive Hopi overlay style. [6]
Baxter (2000, p. 156) recorded that Paul Saufkie was presented with the Arizona Indian Living Treasures Award in 1991. [6]
From the Library: Schaaf, American Indian Jewelry I (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
Schaaf (2003, p. 118) named Fred Kabotie and Paul Saufkie as the teachers of Edgar Coin, Sr., a Hopi copper and silver overlay smith of Oraibi active from about 1948, whose hallmark was a tobacco leaf. [7]
Victor Coochwytewa told Schaaf (2003, p. 120) that he learned from Fred Kabotie and Paul Saufkie in the 1948 veterans' classes at Old Oraibi. [7]
Schaaf (2003, p. 173) named Paul Saufkie and Fred Kabotie as the teachers of the Hopi smith Calvin Hastings, active from about 1948, and gave the same teachers for Douglas Holmes (p. 176). [7]
According to Schaaf (2003, p. 181), Neilson Honyaktewa, Sr. took a jewelry class from Paul Saufkie. [7]
Schaaf (2003, p. 263) wrote that Bert Puhuyestiwa was one of the first students under the GI Bill to take jewelry classes from Paul Saufkie and Fred Kabotie. [7]
Schaaf (2003) entered him as
“Paul Saufkie, Sr. (Paul Andrews), (hallmark - Snow Cloud)”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 280 [7]
Schaaf (2003, p. 280) recorded Paul Saufkie, Sr. as Hopi of Shungopavi, active from about the 1920s to 1993, taught by his father Andrew Hermaquaftewa, the grandfather of Wilmer Saufkie Lomayaoma and Ruben Saufkie, and the teacher of many smiths including Bert Puhuyestiwa and Wallie Sekayumptewa. [7]
Schaaf (2003) wrote:
“He taught more Hopi jewelers than any other person in the mid-20th century”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 280 [7]
Field Notes by Mateo James
Our page gives 1948 to 1950 for Saufkie's G.I. Bill teaching; Bedinger has the first class starting in February 1947 and graduating in January 1949, with a second class right after. The two ranges overlap but do not start in the same year. I show both as written.
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.
Name card shown; hallmark photo to come.
Our page gives 1904 for Paul Saufkie's birth. Baxter's 2000 encyclopedia gives about 1910, with the same death year, 1998. Our page also calls Fred Kabotie his brother-in-law, where Baxter calls Kabotie his cousin. I show both as printed.
I notice the books give him different dates. This page has 1904 to 1998, while Schaaf's 2003 register gives 1898 to 1993. The page also says he was active through 1993, which fits Schaaf's death year, so I show both as printed.