Willie Coin — Hopi Silversmith Hallmark
Willie Coin learned to make silver from his uncle, Earl Numkina, while the two were acting in a San Gabriel Mission play in California. Margaret Nickelson Wright's Hopi Silver, a register of Hopi smiths and their hallmarks, records him as a member of the Masau clan, born in Oraibi, who later moved to Bacavi and began silverwork in 1930 (Wright 2003, p. 76). She also lists him as Sitz wi isah. He died in 1992.
Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks lists him as "Willie Coin (1904-1992; Hopi)," working in "Mostly overlay" and active from the 1930s to the 1980s, and gives his mark as "Masau" (Hougart 2022, p. 92).
His hallmark
Wright labels his mark "Masau" and records it in use around 1948. The printed drawing shows two elongated head outlines side by side, each with two round eye holes and a round mouth, the right one with a long round-ended stick angling down to the lower right (Wright 2003, p. 76).
Own a piece with this mark, or know more about this artist? Contact T.Skies.
References
- Wright, Margaret Nickelson. Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing. Revised edition. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 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.
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds and Traders. 5th edition. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
- 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.
- 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: Bassman, The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry (1993)
1993 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1993, not today.
Bassman (1993) pictured a bracelet of his from the Museum of Northern Arizona collection:
“Bracelet with one turquoise stone made in 1949 by Willie Coin.”
— Bassman (1993), p. 3 [2]
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) listed Willie Coin as the silversmith at Bakavi (Bacavi) in his 1938 roster of Hopi smiths. [4]
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 Frieda Santiago as Willie Coin's student, listed an honorable mention at the 1985 Hopi Craftsman Show and his work in the collection of the Museum of Northern Arizona, and recorded that he later demonstrated jewelry making at that museum. [5]
Field Notes by Mateo James
I notice a difference in his birth year. Hougart gives 1904, while Schaaf's 2003 entry gives about 1910. Both agree that he died in 1992, and I show both as printed.
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.