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.
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.