Virgil is the son of Frank Dishta who developed this inlay style in the early 20th century, and all Zuni jewelry made in this fashion is named after him. It’s quite labor intensive and renders a very individualized look; the Sleeping Beauty mine stones (known for their stability) are made into small dowels that are the exact shape of the tiny sterling bezels, and once fitted into the bezels, they are ground off to the same height as the bezel, and then polished. This is an amazing example of this revelation in jewelry making. I found the identical set in The Kennedy Museum of Art (made in the 1960s) currently running in a collection of important Zuni artifacts (see link). Both Frank and Virgil are featured in the Heard Museum alongside the C. G. Wallace collection as well, and are represented in many important private collections. This set looks considerably older than the Kennedy Museum piece. Frank and Virgil both worked for the legendary C. G. Wallace, the great promoter of Native American Jewelry artisans, with his concentration being on the Zuni Pueblo. Similar set in Dr. Gregory Schaaf’s book American Indian Jewelry, page 140. Buckle measures 1 1/2″ by 1 3/4″ and the set weighs 65 grams. Hallmarked “VDISHTA”. One discolored stone on tip. Excellent condition, great patina.Very collectable. Video.
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