Description. RARE Vintage Navajo Silver Butterfly Pin, hand-formed & elaborately, realistically hand-stamped by famous Diné silversmith, John Silver. In our collection 28 yrs. [J9403]
We are privileged to offer this beautiful vintage jewelry art that was hand-formed and hand-stamped with amazingly elaborate, intricate designs replicating real butterfly wing and body designs. Silver ballittos form the eyes, and the silver wire double antennae terminate with silver ballittos replicating real butterfly antennae.
Examine the photos carefully. You will be awed—as we are—by the intricate, highly varied, hand-tooled wing and body designs. This is 1 of the most intricate, precise, realistic representations of butterflies we have seen in our 40 years of collecting Native American jewelry art. This stunning jewelry art piece required hundreds of hours of hand-work by a highly skilled Navajo silver smith with exceptional artistic vision and attention to detail. Simply awesome and delightful.

Attribution to John Silver, Diné silversmith famous for his elaborate silver butterflies hand-stamped with realistic design patterns. This butterfly does NOT have a hallmark. However, the structure and beautiful hand-stamped designs are very characteristic of John Silver’s unique butterflies. It is well documented that he hall marked some of his butterflies, but did not hallmark them all.

Although this pin does NOT have his unique hallmark, we attribute this amazing silver butterfly pin to Diné silversmith, John Silver, based on the best available, reliable evidence as summarized here.   Examine the referenced photos and documents.  Notice the close resemblance of this butterfly’s design and hand-stamp patterns to those documented in the referenced materials.

·      On 8/13/19, Native American jewelry experts Kim & Pat Messier blogged about John Silver’s hallmark and his silver butterflies:  https://messieraz.com/tag/john-silver-navajo/

·      CA Academy of Sciences Anthropology Collections Database, specifically on the “Elkus Collection” silver butterfly:  https://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/anthropology/collections/index.aspxAction=Search&RecStyle=Full&PageStyle=Single&PageSize=0&GlobalRegion=%5Bany%5D&OrderBy=CatNums&Category=%5Bany%5D&CollectionName=%5Bany%5D&MakersName=John+silver&Page=1

·      Several internet online examples of John Silver’s butterflies with similar unique construction and characteristic hand-stamping patterns.  Example  6/2/19 Cowans Auction:  https://www.cowanauctions.com/lot/john-silver-dine-20th-century-navajo-stamped-silver-butterfly-brooches-pins-3937292

Buy without worries. (1) Written authenticity guarantee from 28 yr. member-Authentic Tribal Art Dealers Asso. [ATADA]. (2) COVID-FREE!We, our inventory and packing materials have been well protected from any Covid virus exposures. (3) To protect YOUR HEALTH and ours:our home and inventory are chemical-free, fragrance-free, mold-free. To further protect your health-no returns, refunds or exchanges of jewelry. WHY? Please read here: https://swnativeoriginals.com/return-policy

Materials: silver. The silver is naturally tarnished due to age, but will polish to a bright silver. We do NOT polish the silver because, like us, many people prefer Native American vintage jewelry with its vintage tarnish, and consider that more valuable than polished silver. Your choice if you wish to polish the silver after purchasing this art. Of course, it is guaranteed silver. See written guarantee.

Weight: 22 grams
Dimensions: approximately 2.5” at widest wing span and 2.75” total length.

Written Authenticity Guarantee. Elaborately hand-stamped and hand-formed vintage Navajo silver butterfly pin attributed to John Silver, Diné silversmith. Approximately 2.5” wide by 2.75” long and weighing approx. 22.7 grams. J9403.