Zuni Howard Leekela "Book Piece" Mosaic Inlay Dot Inlay Butterfly Pin 1930s-40s

Description

Welcome!
Howard Leekela has been confirmed as the artist who made these butterflies, by Ernie Bulow who has been interviewing the families. They were incorrectly attributed by me as by Lambert Homer and more recently incorrectly attributed to Julalita Lamy in one book which devotes several pages to these butterflies and misspells Julalita's name as being Juralita, attributing all these butterflies to her. Why he did this he doesn't say, but he was wrong. All these, except for the black ones, were made by Howard Leekela and the black ones also were not made by Julalita Lamy. All the black ones were made by Catherine Leekela, Howard's wife, except for the black ones which were made by another Leekela family member. The correct information was provided to that author who misattributed them, early in 2014 and there are still no corrections.
This butterfly pin is quite lovely, using a combination of serrated bezel set stones in stone to stone inlay the center for the body of the butterfly and mosaic dot inlay on the wings. The center has jet and turquoise and the wings are mother of pearl with turquoise dot inlay. Very different. The silver work is excellent with nice stamping on the antenna and twisted wire framing the body and six raindrops. All the silver work is expertly executed and the aesthetic sense is superb. It's hard to see in the pictures but the mother of pearl really glows. Great depth and chatoyancy. You'll be surprised at the quality of this pin; nothing I could say will prepare you for the elegance of this piece. It's lovely for your collection and to be worn and enjoy. I'm also offering a matching ring separately and I've included a picture of it above. And, great news. I have a pair of matching earrings, also offered separately! So you can obtain a wonderful matching set!
The dimensions of the pin are 1-9/16" (3.97 cm) by 1-3/8"(3.49 cm) . The weight is 6 grams.
This is an older piece with fine inlay workmanship. Dot inlay is difficult and the turquoise dot inlay into the mother of pearl to decorate the wings is rare. The fact the earrings are clip-ons is an indication of the age of these. They are available separately in my store and are a match to this wonderful pin. Howard Leekela was the brother of Neva Cellicion and Marrietta Soseah. This is an accomplished family in Zuni artistry. It's quite a great opportunity for collectors to have one of his pieces of this type. This pin is a great treat. Like a hot fudge sundae of delight.
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Returns will be accepted for 30 days after your receipt for any reason and without question. Please let me know if you would like to return something. Returns must be in the same condition they were shipped. If I make a significant mistake in a listing I'll always give you a full refund. The 20% restocking fee does not apply when the mistake is mine. I care that you're happy and about my accuracy, and will always stand behind my work. My attributions are guaranteed for my lifetime.
When I include pages from published books in my listings it is in accordance with Fair Use Law, which permits the use of source material for discussion, reference, education and criticism.
Attributions on many of the old pieces of Native American jewelry are sometimes a moving target. All the books have errors, so in addition to counterchecking, I have developed some expertise over the years and I do care about getting it right, so as more information comes to light I update my listings and also get in touch with my previous buyers, to inform them of any changes in attributions. I am sincerely committed to ongoing accuracy.
Everything I sell comes from my personal collection or is something that I would include in my personal collection. Most pieces are museum worthy and gallery suitable, sold to you at great pricing. I vet every item carefully for quality and condition, and offer you the best. I want you to be able to rely on me for top quality, superb items that are often unique and rare examples of old antique vintage southwest, indian, native american and fine gold and gemstones, whether you're starting a collection or adding to one, or want something great to wear or gift. My goal is that all my buyers are delighted, that my special pieces find the right homes.