Rare Hopi Silver Overlay Cufflinks Harry Sakyesva
Made this pair of vintage Hopi silver overlay cufflinks. The quality of the work can be seen in the way the precisely cut design in the upper layer of silver stands out against the deeply oxidized lower layer of silver. Each cufflink measures 1? X? Inch. The pivoting posts and swivel bars are in good working order. The backs are stamped SAKYESVA with a pair of tadpoles (the hallmark of Harry Sakyesva). 1971 was a highly skilled and historically significant Hopi silversmith, well known for his excellent silverwork and for teaching smithing to Wayne and Emory Sekaquaptewa, brothers who subsequently started Hopi Enterprises (later Hopicrafts). Harry’s work, rare to the market and prized by collectors, is described in leading publications on the art form, including Wright (1994), Schaaf (2003), and Hougart (2019).
