Sweet Little Red Cardinal Pendant
na000645
Regular price $90.00 Save $-90.00In some Native American tribes, cardinals are holy birds that bring and send messages. This sweet little red cardinal pendant was made by award-winning jewelers, Sammy and Esther Guardian (more about them below). The bird is inlaid with red coral and jet, with detailed etchings on the feathers. The flower is inlaid abalone and gold-lip mother of pearl. The leaves are inlaid malachite. It is stamped "S&E Guardian" on the back.
Size: 1.25" H x .75" W
Sammy and Esther Guardian are award-winning, married jewelers from Zuni Pueblo. They have been making jewelry since 1960s, and are well known for their picturesque inlay, especially their birds. They make earrings, bracelets, pendants, bolo ties, pins, using natural stones and shell. Their work can be seen in many books on Native American jewelry.
This type of Zuni inlay is made by sawing out two pieces of flat silver into the desired shape. The area where the stones are inlaid is sawed out by hand (yes, really!). The two pieces of silver are then soldered together. The stones are then cut and shaped to exactly fit into the areas that have been sawed out to create the design. This type of jewelry making is difficult and involved, which is why we don't see too many jewelers making it anymore.