Vintage Earrings White Mother of Pearl Cobblestone Channel Inlay Sterling Zuni

Description

These are from my personal collection.  I've collected Native American jewelry since the 1970's.
To create a piece of
inlay jewelry, the artist creates a series of channels in the metal which will hold the stones in place.
Channel inlay is considered a more traditional approach to inlay jewelry.
It allows for a wide variety of color combinations and complex patterns.
Stones are carefully measured and cut before being placed in the channels according to the design.
The finished piece will be a fusion of the stones and the metal in
a simple, versatile, and elegant look, which characterizes Zuni jewelry.
This style of inlay is called cobblestone or cornrow inlay. Besides cutting the stones so that they fit into an intricate pattern, the artist must also bevel each stone on every edge. This requires great skill and time and investment in materials.
You can easily see why this is sometimes referred to as cobblestone if you've ever seen a cobblestone street in an old historic section of a US city or abroad. Native American artists often call it cornrow inlay because in some patterns, the rows resemble corn kernels on a cob.  The earrings are hallmarked "Handmade" and "Sterling".
Pieces before
1970 were rarely signed.  As the demand
from collectors became stronger, the collectors wanted to be able to identify who made their jewelry.  In 1970 it was recommended the jewelry be identified
by a hallmark.   From that time on more and more jewelry was
identified by a hallmark.
The white mother of pearl is set on a foundation of heavy gauge sterling silver.  The inlay is very smooth to the touch.   I have hand polished these earrings with a soft polishing cloth. Sterling silver will become dark and can be polished to a brilliant shine time
after time - that is the beauty of sterling.
Southwest jewelry is an investment in enjoyment to last a lifetime.
Overall Measurement 2" long x 5/8" wide
Total Weight = 8.4 grams
Questions???   Please ask before purchasing to avoid any misunderstandings.
You can see more jewelry in my eBay "store".
Coin not included.  Display only.