THE ARTIST:

Marcus Coochwykvia was born circa 1952 and is an highly acclaimed & recognized Hopi silversmith from Mishongnovi, Arizona, and who is a proud member of the Bear Clan. Marcus has been active since the 1970s, he is widely recognized for his extremely fine Hopi overlay sterling silver jewelry that is carefully designed with traditional motifs such as corn stalks, kachinas, animals, and flowing waves and water designs, with the latter being symbols held sacred by the Hopi, whose corn cannot grow without it..

Marcus couldn’t get away from learning from the best, and the best for him was learning silversmithing from his brother-in-law, Glen Lucas, who served as an instructor at Hopicrafts. Glen’s students praise him as one of the finest Hopi jewelers, being that his artistry and quality of workmanship were regarded as among the tops in the field. Lucas died in 1985. Marcus was also inspired by and learned from Hopi jeweler Roy Talahaftewa, while further developing his skills through early work with Hopicrafts. He specializes in the traditional Hopi overlay technique, and—apart from his distinctive bear paw stamp—Marcus appears to use the same hallmark as Glen (see second-to-last photo). He is featured in numerous reference books that cover collectible Native American and Southwest silver jewelry.

A PERSONAL NOTE ABOUT THE TECHNIQUE:

In a photographic sense, Hopi overlay can be described as a “figure-ground reversal,” where the positive space (the subject) and the negative space (the background) actively vie for the viewer’s attention. This striking visual contrast is produced through a careful, multi-step metalworking process in which the artist precisely cuts the design — (in this case, the traditional Hopi water and wave motifs) — from a sheet of sterling silver. The recessed background layer is deeply blackened through oxidation, while the raised top surface has more of a polished contemporary edginess, together creating the dramatic, high-contrast interplay between positive and negative space.

A WORD:

Fine Hopi jewelry is not as easy to find or as commonly encountered as Navajo, Zuni, or other Puebloan work. The Hopi have a smaller population and, naturally, far fewer active silversmiths, so authentic pieces tend to showcase distinctive, hand fabricated styles rather than being mass-produced. This was therefore a fortunate discovery—not only to offer such an impeccably made cuff, but to present a Hopi cuff by an incredibly respected and recognized Hopi artisan!

THE CUFF:

Impeccably designed with extreme precision, this cuff features our cherished “life-giving” water motif—an emblem of the essential force that nourishes crops and sustains all life itself.

Having a width that measures just shy of 2”, this is a cuff that carries a “timeless, classic” look, which is unlike many other vintage pieces that immediately announce their age. With this one, it’s hard to tell whether it was made more than 50 years ago or just last week — and its clean, enduring style will still read as fresh and elegant well into 2050 because of it’s contemporary factor!

SIZING:

This piece is designed to fit a larger 7-1/8” wrist size, and specifically not only a wrist that needs a larger/wider ‘east-west’ interior circumference,(2.50”-see photo 10) but for wrists that have a bit more "flesh" or fullness, as the gap has an opening of 1-1/4 inches. A wider gap is generally more comfortable for someone with a little meatier wrist, while a smaller gap tends to suit skinnier wrists better. To determine if this gap opening is right for you, you can measure the gap on a cuff that fits you well and compare it to this one. This HAS to fit properly, since it might not be able to be adjusted.

So please know your wrist size before purchasing, since cuffs fit different than any other type bracelet & it is of extreme importance they fit right! If you're not sure or have never measured yourself, please don't hesitate to contact me so I can possibly help.!! For more info on cuff fitting, please click on this link to see if this will fit:  How To Fit A Cuff‍ ‍Also, click on this "You Tube" link https://youtu.be/bU6QwykAo7wsince they too give valuableinfo on the subject about how to properly put a cuff on!

PLEASE GO THROUGH ALL THE PHOTOS,SINCE THEY PLAY A MAJOR ROLE TO THE DESCRIPTION.

IF YOU ZOOM IN ON THE LAST PHOTO,I WILL BE LISTING A HOPI BOLO TIE ASAP!

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ARTIST: Marcus Coochwykvia (Some people spell it “Coochwikvia”)

TRIBAL AFFILATION: Hopi

CIRCA MADE: 1970’s-80’s

WEIGHT: 120 Grams (4.23 Ounces)

WIDTH: 1-7/8"

METAL: Sterling

FINISH: Overlay: Contemporary Like Finishing-Base: Blacken Oxidation

INTERIOR MEASUREMENT: 5-7/8"

GAP OPENING: 1-1/4"

TOTAL WRIST SIZE: 7-1/8" (Large Wrist)

EAST TO WEST INTERIOR MEASUREMENT: Measures between 2-3/8" and 2-1/2” (Taken laying flat while sitting atop of a paper measure-from east to west-different from interior measurement)

ADJUSTABLE: Possibly by a reputable jeweler?

CONDITION: Very well cared for-Normal surface scratches that aren’t noticeable unless you look close-Shank is in well rounded condition

HALLMARK: 'Bear Paw”-Conjoined HL(?)

COME GIFT BOXED

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SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT:

Anything with this kind of price tag, will have a mandatory signature confirmation requirement. (Reflected in shipping price) If you're not home in the day & need it shipped where it can be signed for, please change that in your "Ship To" section before I create the shipping label***I'm sorry if this may be an inconvenience, but I do not ship expensive pieces without one. This is for your safety & mine.

PLEASE READ BEFORE PURCHASING:

To give you close up photos ,pictures tend to make the item look much more larger & everything is more magnified than in actuality.. So to get an accurate idea of how big this is, please either check it out being worn to get a rough idea (photos) or you can pull out a tape measure & compare to my given measurements.