Featured Zuni Snake Eye Cuff - Clark Couyancy?

They had their designer sale today and I grabbed this up immediately. When I got home, I found a lot of similar cuffs labeled Zuni Snake Eye Cuffs. I don't know how to determine if this is a real one or a knockoff. Either way I like it.

1. The stones are different colors
2. Each stone is held in place by prongs (?) completely around each stone.
3. The designs hammered into the sides of the cuff are reversed. One side is up and the other is down
   
4. In the middle of the back of the cuff, the words "C Couyancy" are etched.

The is the only C Couyancy I could find: **NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN JEWELRY** - **ZUNI BRACELETS** - __Clark Couyancy - Mudhead Gallery

This is all I got. I hope someone can help.

 

I'd bet it's real. I couldn't find much on him either, but did find another bracelet.

https://www.johnmoran.com/auction-lot/zuni-sterling-silver-and-coral-snake-eye-jewelry_EAE4ECE925

 

Thanks for the other find. That would be thrilling. It has the same side markings as mine.

 

Looks real to me, and a great find.

I always love that. Perfectly matched is good of course, but colour difference is one of the signs of age, and it is lively and charming.

@reader .

 

Love the difference in color in this instance!

 

I would go along with the real verdict. I doubt the knockoff would use mismatched stones which I like. Knockoffs tend to be TOO uniformed.

 

Excellent observation. I didn't think of that. That age would result in a color change. I know the stones are irregular which pointed to older work to me. Thanks so much for confirming that it's real. I feel so much better.

 

I agree. It was thing that struck me when I first started looking at it carefully. There were about 15 people asking for things from the two small jewelry cases, so you don't get any time to look. This is why I most appreciate the help of all the members here, because you have to develop some intuition.

 

I agree. There is a lot of dyed howlite, which used to fool me until I read here about looking at the bead ends. Thank you for your thoughts.

 

It does, but only in antique jewellery.
Different colours in NA turquoise is generally a result of not seeing the point to match stones. It is only when they got requests for uniformly coloured pieces that they began to match stones.

 

Fascinating. Thanks for clarifying. I had no idea.

 

Agree with most of the above. Check the spelling but I think it’s him and yes vintage Zuni and terrific. I’d wear it and I don’t say that often on NA jewelry. It is not snake eye IMO. Snake eye is a specific term for perfectly round tiny stones but no one would ever report it as spam although it would annoy a true collector.

The unmatched stones are a plus and show age and wear. Good luck with it.

Here’s info from Hougart’s and a pic of my snake eye bracelets.

 

Apologies and running without time to edit.

 

I added a bit to the first sentence, that it only discolours with age in antique jewellery. You can see it on those 19th century dainty turquoise cluster in gold pieces. They were matched to begin with, but often there are one or two that have changed colour.

 

I agree with reader on the snake eyes.

I turned it and tried to tweak it a little:


Some if it is hard to read but it says he began in the 1940s.

 

Nice piece!

 

Love that you have a book that references his name. Google will provide variations of names. This is how I found it. Trust me I didn't start off with the correct name. It took about 20 variations before I connected the name to the etched one on my bracelet. I can see in your book that it is spelled Couyance. I looked carefully again, and if you look at the middle row of the bracelet on the inside that is clearly a Y not an E. I'm not sure where the disconnect came from.

I appreciate your weighing in. I will stop calling it a Snake eye cuff. I can see the difference now that you point it out.

 

No problem I flipped it. I appreciate getting the page in any condition.

 

Ah. This is at most mid 1940s, so not antique. I just assumed that the color change was due to wearing and getting all kinds of exposure. But now I look at it, there are bright blue stones and then there are greenish ones. Not an age change.

 

Thank you. This is much easier to read. I don't have to lie on the floor and hold my computer upside down. I see he was married to a stone cutter, Bessie Couyance. Love the idea that they worked together on making beautiful things.