H-1-103 Awa Tsireh salt set.
Awa Tsireh (Alfonso Roybal) was born in 1898 and died in 1955. He was a famous painter and silver smith from San Ildefonso Pueblo. A self taught artist, his paintings were usually of Pueblo dances or domestic scenes but he also produced wonderfully complex paintings of “mythical” birds and animals. His silver work is less well known much of which was produced while working for the Garden of the Gods and includes work in silver, copper, brass, and on occasion, German silver (a non-silver alloy popular with Plains Indians).
This set is comprised of a salt cellar and salt spoon. On the back of the spoon is stamped: “silver Awa Tsireh”. Awa Tsireh used a number of different stamps in various combinations including: “Awa Tsireh, silver”, “hand made, Garden of the Gods”, “hand made by Indians, solid silver”, as well as a mythical bird stamp. On occasion, he would produce pieces that, for what ever reason, were neither signed nor marked in any way. The salt cellar is unmarked. His work varied from quite elaborate and fussy stamp designs to very simple austere patterns. He was particularly known for making non-jewelry items such as plates, bowls, boxes, match boxes, candle sticks, spoons, etc.
The spoon measures 3 3/4 inches long and the salt cellar 2 inches depth by 1 1/2 inches height. Circa 1935. $450.00