🤍 VINTAGE ZUNI STERLING SILVER & MOTHER-OF-PEARL FISH-SCALE INLAY BROOCH 🤍
An exceptional vintage handmade Zuni sterling silver brooch featuring an intricate mosaic of hand-cut mother-of-pearl arranged in the traditional overlapping fish-scale inlay style.
Measuring approximately 46.95 mm / 1.848 inches in diameter and weighing an extraordinary 26.57 grams / 0.937 ounces, this is an unusually substantial example. The weight is immediately apparent when held in the hand and gives the piece a wonderful sense of quality and presence.
The beautifully domed face is composed of individually shaped sections of natural mother-of-pearl separated by narrow silver channels. In changing natural light, the shell moves dramatically between luminous white, cream, blush pink, lavender, pale blue, subtle green and flashes of rainbow iridescence.
The brooch is unsigned, and no specific artist attribution is being NANCY ELBY COLLECTION PROVENANCE
This brooch carries wonderful Southwestern collecting provenance.
I acquired it from an individual in Phoenix, Arizona, who obtained it from the late Nancy Elby.
Nancy Elby was a longtime figure in the American Indian art, Southwestern antiques and Western collecting community. Based in Phoenix, she exhibited under the name “The Good Stuff” at the High Noon Western Americana show and was also an exhibitor at the prestigious Whitehawk Antique Indian & Ethnographic Art Show in Santa Fe, an event bringing together established dealers and galleries specializing in historic Native American and ethnographic material.
Preserving this chain of ownership was important to me, and the brooch is being offered with its Nancy Elby collection history intact:
Nancy Elby → Phoenix individual → current owner
This provenance refers specifically to the brooch’s prior ownership and collection history. It is not being used to claim a particular maker, artist or date of ZUNI FISH-SCALE INLAY
The face displays a beautiful example of the distinctive inlay technique commonly referred to as fish-scale inlay, in which individually cut sections are arranged in a flowing, overlapping pattern reminiscent of scales.
Here, numerous pieces of mother-of-pearl have been individually shaped and fitted into narrow silver channels to create an almost continuous mosaic across the dramatically domed surface.
The individual pieces are deliberately not mechanically identical. Their sweeping curved edges, varying proportions and subtle fitting differences give the composition wonderful movement and provide visible evidence of its handmade construction.
The mother-of-pearl itself is particularly beautiful. Depending upon the angle and surrounding light, individual sections can appear pearly white, creamy white, blush pink, lavender-gray, icy blue or pale green, with occasional flashes of stronger iridescent HAND-FABRICATED CONSTRUCTION
The construction is especially impressive when viewed from the side and reverse.
Rather than being a thin or lightweight piece, the brooch has a substantial, strongly domed profile terminating in a smooth silver perimeter.
The reverse consists of a broad silver backplate fitted with a separately applied hinge, long straight pin stem and safety catch. The pin opens and closes properly and the mechanism functions impeccably.
Extreme macro photographs reveal fine filing and fitting marks across portions of the mother-of-pearl. These are construction marks associated with shaping and filing the individual shell sections flush with the surrounding silver channels, rather than evidence of impact damage.
Small irregularities and occasional narrow spaces visible alongside portions of the channel work are likewise part of the handmade fitting and fabrication of the piece. Nothing is loose or missing, and the inlay remains secure.
The brooch is unsigned, and no specific maker attribution is being EXCEPTIONALLY SUBSTANTIAL — 26.57 GRAMS
One of the most remarkable characteristics of this brooch is its weight.
At approximately:
26.57 grams / 0.937 ounces
it feels extraordinarily substantial for a brooch of this diameter.
Its weight, broad silver back, deeply domed profile and extensive hand-fitted inlay give the piece a wonderful physical presence that photographs alone cannot fully convey.
A vintage 1934 Mercury dime is shown in several photographs solely for scale and is not included with the STERLING SILVER — JSP TESTED
The brooch is unmarked; however, I personally performed a non-invasive JSP scratch-stone silver acid test, which produced a strong reaction consistent with sterling silver.
A small amount of metal was transferred from an inconspicuous area of the brooch onto a JSP testing stone. Silver-testing acid was then applied exclusively to the transferred metal streak on the testing stone.
No acid touched the brooch at any time.
Upon contact with the testing solution, the transferred metal produced an immediate blood-red reaction. The reaction remained blood red throughout the entire five-minute period I observed it before the test was discarded.
Based upon this immediate and persistent JSP scratch-stone test reaction, I am identifying the brooch as sterling silver.
The brooch is unmarked and has not been professionally XRF or laboratory tested; the sterling identification is based upon the JSP scratch-stone testing described MEASUREMENTS & WEIGHT
• Diameter: approx. 46.95 mm / 1.848 inches
• Weight: approx. 26.57 grams / 0.937 ounces
A 1934 Mercury dime is included in several photographs as a familiar visual reference for scale only.
The dime is not included in the sale.
All measurements are CONDITION
Excellent vintage pre-owned condition, particularly impressive for a handmade piece that has survived for decades.
The mother-of-pearl inlay remains secure and beautifully lustrous. Nothing is loose, missing or visibly impacted. The individual shell sections retain their wonderful natural iridescence and display beautiful variations in color according to lighting and viewing angle.
The fine linear marks visible on portions of the mother-of-pearl—particularly when greatly magnified—are consistent with the original hand-finishing process in which the shell was filed and finished flush with the surrounding silver channels.
Likewise, the small handmade fitting irregularities and occasional narrow spaces visible along portions of the channel work are characteristics of its construction rather than missing pieces.
The silver remains remarkably attractive, retaining a beautiful natural luster and polish with only very mild patina. Fine surface and construction marks consistent with hand fabrication, age and careful handling remain visible.
The reverse is exceptionally clean, and the original-style pin assembly remains intact. The long pin stem is straight and sharp, and the mechanism opens, closes and secures impeccably.
Overall, this appears to have been a very well cherished piece throughout its life.
Nothing has been intentionally concealed in the photography. Extreme close-ups have deliberately been included so prospective buyers can examine the mother-of-pearl, silver channels, hand-finishing marks, construction, reverse, pin mechanism and overall condition in considerable detail.
Please review all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the PHOTOGRAPHY & NATURAL MOTHER-OF-PEARL COLOR
All photographs were taken outdoors between approximately 5–6 PM under sunny skies, primarily in open shade and from a variety of locations, viewing angles and orientations.
This was done intentionally because natural mother-of-pearl is highly responsive to light.
Depending upon the direction and intensity of the light, individual sections of shell shift beautifully between luminous white, cream, blush pink, lavender, pale blue, subtle green and rainbow iridescence. The same section of mother-of-pearl may therefore appear noticeably different from one photograph to another.
Extreme macro photographs also magnify original filing marks, handmade fitting irregularities, tiny surface characteristics and other construction details considerably beyond their appearance to the unaided eye.
Color, depth, saturation, brightness and contrast may vary somewhat according to screen settings and individual devices.
The colors of the brooch and mother-of-pearl have not been digitally altered in any way.
Additional photographs or video are gladly available upon SHIPPING
• Ships same or next business day
• FREE USPS Ground Advantage within the United States
• Fully insured with tracking
• Carefully and securely packaged
• Ships in a sturdy cardboard box — never a bubble INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING
• FREE through International Shipping
OR
• USPS Priority Mail International
• Flat rate: $48.95
• Insurance and tracking included
Buyer is responsible for any customs duties, VAT, brokerage fees, tariffs, taxes or other import charges imposed by their OFFERS & RETURNS
All serious offers considered.
All sales are final unless the item has been grossly beautiful and unusually substantial vintage handmade Zuni sterling silver brooch combining luminous natural mother-of-pearl with the flowing geometry of traditional fish-scale inlay.
At 46.95 mm across and an extraordinary 26.57 grams, this is a piece whose quality and substance are immediately apparent in the hand. Its deeply domed profile, extensive hand-fitted shell work, broad silver backplate and surviving fabrication details give it tremendous physical and visual presence.
The beautifully preserved mother-of-pearl moves from luminous white and cream to blush pink, lavender, pale blue and subtle green as the light changes, while the silver retains an attractive luster with only mild natural patina. Its exceptionally well-functioning pin mechanism and remarkably well-preserved overall condition suggest a piece that has been carefully cherished over many decades.
Its collection history—from Nancy Elby, to a Phoenix collector, and ultimately to the current owner—adds another fascinating chapter to an exceptional surviving piece of vintage Southwestern jewelry. 🤍🪶
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