Philbert Poseyesva — Hopi Silversmith
Philbert Poseyesva combines overlay with lapidary work. Margaret Nickelson Wright's Hopi Silver records that he began silver work in 1973 and "Learned at Hopicrafts" (Wright 2003, p. 87), and that his brother Lambert Poseyesva, who began in 1988, "Learned from brother Philbert" (Wright 2003, p. 100).
Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks lists him as "Philbert Poseyesva (1958-; Hopi)," active since the 1970s, working overlay together with lapidary work, sometimes with gold, and incorporating traditional Hopi design symbols. Hougart calls him "an award-winning artist in overlay style" (Hougart 2022, p. 255).
His hallmark
Wright draws two marks for him: a conjoined PP monogram, and a pair of bear paws, one enclosing PP and one lettered POSEYESVA, dated 1986 (Wright 2003, p. 87).
Hougart gives his marks as P P ("may be marked for Shades of the West"), P P inside a bear paw, and POSEYESVA with a bear paw (Hougart 2022, p. 255). Lambert marks L P, sometimes with bear claws (Hougart 2022, p. 255). Read the initials before attributing a bear-paw piece.
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References
- Wright, Margaret Nickelson. Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing. Revised edition. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2003.
- 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.
From the Library: Schaaf, American Indian Jewelry I (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
Schaaf (2003) entered him as
“Phil Poseyesva (Philbert Poseyesva), (hallmark - bear paw, PP)”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 261 [3]
Schaaf (2003, p. 261) recorded Phil Poseyesva as Hopi, active from about 1973 in gold, set stones and silver overlay, a brother of Lambert Poseyesva, taught by Glen Lucas and at the Hopi Silvercraft Cooperative Guild, with prizes for rings, necklaces and bracelets at Indian Market in 1991, his work in the National Collection in Washington, D.C., and the trader Gene Waddell of Tempe among his galleries. [3]
Schaaf (2003) wrote:
“Phil Poseyesva is respected as a top Hopi jeweler”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 261 [3]
Schaaf's 2003 hallmark index gives PP to one maker:
“PP (Phil Poseyesva)”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 250 [3]
Field Notes by Mateo James
I notice the books differ on where he learned and when he was born. Wright says he learned at Hopicrafts, while Schaaf's 2003 register names Glen Lucas and the Hopi Silvercraft Cooperative Guild as his teachers and gives his birth as about 1960 rather than Hougart's 1958. I show both as printed.
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