VINTAGE HOMER VACIT ZUNI CLUSTER STERLINGSILVER TURQUOISE CUFFBRACELET 7-7.5 28g

Fits size 7"-7.5". Great condition with age appropriate wear. This cuff bracelet is a vintage Zuni turquoise cluster bracelet, a style famously mastered by artists such as Homer Vacit. Vacit (Zuni Pueblo) was a renowned artisan active during the mid-20th century. He is celebrated as an early Zuni master, often associated with the legendary trader C. Wallace, who helped popularize Zuni jewelry for non-Native markets starting in the 1920s. He was the brother of another master silversmith, Frank Vacit. While best known for complex mosaic and channel inlay work-such as pins featuring the Knifewing or Sunface motifs-Homer Vacit also created detailed cluster work. His pieces are often hallmarked with the initials "HV" or "HM VACIT".

Historical Significance of Cluster Jewelry. The style of this bracelet is a hallmark of Zuni lapidary skill. Zuni silversmithing began around 1872, initially influenced by Navajo techniques.

By the 1920s and 30s, Zuni artisans evolved their own distinct style, focusing on precision stone cutting. This involves setting multiple small, hand-cut stones into tight, symmetrical patterns. This is a traditional Zuni method of showcasing high-quality turquoise in intricate silver bezels. Evolution: While Vacit's early masterpieces were often unsigned, his later career included more of this labor-intensive cluster work, which remains highly collectible today.

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