American Indian Silver Watchband? Marked with outline of standing man

Does anyone recognize this mark on these pieces of silver used as part of a watchband? It is an outline of a standing man, used as part of the design and repeated on the back of both pieces as the only mark. The watch is a modern quartz / battery powered unit so I don't think it is very old. Thank you! ... Dave

 

well, it's a Kokopelli on the watch face , and Man in the Maze design on the band....
the standing man as artists mark will take some further investigation

 

Believe it is the mark of Alvin Sosolda, a Pima. According to Wright's Hallmarks of the Southwest, p. 160, Sosolda "specializes in silver overlay." His mark is a "stamped image of Pima stylized man, first used in 1983. Mark is 3/16" in height."

http://www.worthpoint.com/marks/search/filter_q--Alvin Sosolda

A couple of other sites say he is a Hopi:
http://waddelltradingco.com/artists/alvin-sosolda/
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sterling-Si...649811?hash=item35faf55913:g:MScAAOSwzhVWsu6q

Here are earrings to match the watch:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sterling-Si...874905?hash=item2a5877d599:g:d1wAAOSwWnFV-dI3

and
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-pima-silver-overlay-post-424904334

--- Susan

 

Thank you Susan! I'm marking your post as "Best Answer" - nice job! ... Dave

 

You're welcome, Dave. I don't know where some thinking Sosolda is Hopi is coming from. Wright's Hallmarks of the SW is a respected source, but of course no source is infallible, I just wish I knew what the source was for saying he is Hopi.

--- Susan

 

I'll let you know Susan if I come across anything that explains the discrepancy. I'm working on my listing now, and Pima looks correct to me.

 

When I google his name, one of the results is from google books, the book "The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry". The only page that I can see is an index page with his name - right after his name it says "(Pima married to a Hopi)".

 

EBay listings should probably not be used as a trusted reference when it comes to identifying Native American items. And most of the web sites that come up on a search these days seem to be based on eBay listings, accurate or not. When other sellers use those eBay listings for their own items, it doesn't take long before the whole process degenerates into a guessing game.

Reputable museum collections, on line specialty boards or forums devoted to the subject in question, and print references are a better choice.

Both The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry and Wright's Hallmarks of the Southwest, and the Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks, confirm Alvin Sosolda is Pima, and that he is married to a Hopi woman. Which means, if he follows the Hopi tribal tradition, he moved to her home, and was more likely influenced by the jewelry style of Hopi jewelry makers. (And because the Hopi are a matrilineal culture, his children would be raised Hopi, even if they were not enrolled members of the tribe.)

The man in the maze is a traditional Pima image, however, despite what the eBay listing in the link claims. And since Sosolda is Pima, his tribal affiliation is Pima, and his work cannot be sold as Hopi, even if he lives there, and his family is Hopi.

 

Thank you, Taupou, for the Pima Hopi explanation. Interesting on the matriarchal culture traditions!

--- Susan​