-40%
RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist
RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist
RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist
RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist
RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist
RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist
RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist
RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist
RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist
RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist
RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist
RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist

RARE vtg 1930s DELLA CASA APPA ZUNI BIRD RING flush Inlay ICONIC female artist

$ 1393.91

Availability: 100 in stock
  • Origin: Southwestern US
  • Modified Item: No
  • Provenance: Ownership History Available
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
  • Artisan: Della Casa Appa
  • Restocking Fee: No
  • Item must be returned within: 30 Days
  • Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
  • All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
  • Refund will be given as: Money Back
  • Style: Avant garde
  • Tribal Affiliation: Zuni
  • California Prop 65 Warning: None
  • Condition: Excellent ring and stones, with normal gentle wear/patina appropriate to age. The side panels shows even mild wear, as expected, and band is very slightly off-round. Stones are tight! At close inspection, the stones show normal surface scratches and natural surface irregularities, none affecting the beauty or integrity. Old patina to silver, polish or not to your taste. A very comfortable, large ring. No restorations or repairs. Ring has been resized at least once - a faint line is visible inside the back band. Clean, odor free and from a non smoking home.

    Description

    Welcome!
    I pay the shipping charges within the USA.
    Description
    -------  Fantastic, antique, circa 1930s, hand made, historic Native American RING.
    Design is a
    BIRD on a branch
    ,
    within a black background. This amazing ring is attributed to the
    Legendary
    and considered
    The FIRST FEMALE
    Zuni Pueblo silversmith,
    Della Casa Appa (1889-1963).
    Created
    in ‘coin or better’ silver, with stone-to-stone, meticulous, mosaic flush, stone to stone inlay, consisting of a solid black jet background
    into which
    , the stones of the bird are inlaid.
    Bird has a blue-green turquoise, head, feet, and tail; an orange spiny oyster shell wing and beak; and white mother of pearl chest and branch. Let me emphasize: the inlay is amazing as the black stone is
    one piece
    and the colored stones are meticulously cut to fit
    within
    it.
    The bezel is smooth and moves seamlessly toward the black stone. Notice, too, how the black stone is raised and curved at the edges. The band has a 5-split shank, and has an applied plate on each side, hand stamped with a gorgeous rayed design, and a stylized honey bee. (I think the stone bird might be a barn swallow, or a Passenger Pigeon with some artistic liberties taken.)
    Della Casa Appa is a highly sought / passionately collected Zuni artist whose work is very rare and elusive. She worked for CG Wallace and was featured in the CG Wallace collection auction at Sotheby's, in 1975. Using only the most primitive of hand tools, she created the most intricate of pieces. It is said she would bring these pieces to CG Wallace only during the evening, under cover of darkness, because at that time, a female Zuni silversmith would not have been accepted. Her work is considerably more difficult to find than the work of her contemporary, John Gordon Leak, but both Zuni artists are often compared. (I currently have a
    John Gordon Leak
    stone to stone inlay, graphic arrow ring on eBay, as well.)
    Face area of the ring is approximately
    1-1/8" by 7/8”.
    It is oversized on my finger (I bought this ring for myself, but have to admit it would look best on a larger hand/finger.)
    The dealer I purchased this ring from said he purchased it from well-known Native American jewelry dealer, Martha Struever, who attributed it to Della Casa Appa.  (I have an emailed note from Ms. Struever’s assistant, verifying this, and more provenance - Ms. Struever purchased it from Robert Bauver, dealer and author of the Pueblo earring book, (
    Navajo and Pueblo Earrings 1850-1945
    ), back in 2007.)
    Very special, historic piece, museum quality — Miles above most in technique and execution.
    SIZE
    -------
    estimated size: approx size 11 to 12 - you can see it falls to the 10-3/4 mark on my mandrel, but because of the large face, it is does not slide down the mandrel enough to accurately measure. Also, please note the squared area where the shank meets the ring’s face allows more finger room - see photo looking down at the ring, on mandrel, from above.
    Resizing: I can recommend a AZ jeweler (who has done several jobs for me via mail), with an in-house Navajo master silversmith, who can resize this ring for you. (If you will be resizing drastically, you may want to discuss this in advance of purchase.)
    weighs a heavy
    13.6
    grams on my scale, see photo.
    Marks
    -------  none.
    Guaranteed old and as described.
    Please check out my other things.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I pay the shipping charges on this within the USA.
    Questions?
    Please message me.
    International buyers: Please note
    - I do not falsify customs documents, or mark shipments as gifts, or undervalue items. Please be sure to check and understand all shipping fees and import charges prior to bidding / buying, as these charges are the buyer's responsibility and not included in the item's price.
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