Virgil Benn — Zuni Inlay Artist
Virgil Benn's inlay is credited jointly with Shirley Benn in each of these books. Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks lists him as Zuni, active since the 1950s, working in "Channel and mosaic inlay. Many human face and head designs; animals" (Hougart 2022, p. 58).
Ray Manley's Collecting Southwestern Indian Arts & Crafts shows a Zuni bola by Virgil and Shirley Benn (Manley 1979, p. 43), and Theda and Michael Bassman's Zuni Jewelry shows a raised and etched inlay pin they made in 1991 (Bassman and Bassman 2006, p. 28).
His hallmark
Hougart gives his marks as "V. & S. BENN; V. & S. Benn (script); Virgil and Shirley Benn (etched)", shared with Shirley Benn (Hougart 2022, p. 58).
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References
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds and Traders. 5th edition. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
- 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.
- Bassman, Theda, and Michael Bassman. Zuni Jewelry. Photographs by Gene Balzer. Revised and expanded 3rd edition. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2006.
- 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, p. 83) recorded Virgil Benn as Zuni/Paiute, born in the 1930s and active from before the 1950s in mosaic and channel inlay, the husband of Shirley Benn, whom Schaaf listed as Hopi-Tewa. [4]
Under Shirley Benn's entry, Schaaf (2003, p. 82) dated the couple's V & S Benn stamp from 1981 and recorded her as a great-granddaughter of the potter Nampeyo. [4]
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.