Description
Huge Vintage Navajo Sterling/turquoise butterfly pin 2.75" wide x 2.4" wide 27.8<br>grams. Hallmarked on back with United Indian Traders association stamp.<br><br>The United Indian Traders Association (UITA) was established on September 13,<br>1931 for the expressed purpose of authentication of Indian crafts.1 At the time,<br>the UITA as an important player both in Indian cultural life and in advocating<br>for the sale of authentic Indian arts and crafts. UITA was incorporated as a<br>non-profit in New Mexico, with the support of a number of traders and San<br>Francisco attorney Charles Elkus. Bert Staples (Coolidge, NM) was UITA's first<br>President, R. C. Master (Zuni, NM) was Vice President, C. N. Cotton (Gallup, NM)<br>served as Treasurer and Tobe Turpen (Gallup, NM) was Secretary. Directors<br>included L. L. Sabin, C. G. Wallace, J. M. Drolet, Ramon Hubbell, Lloyd Ambrose,<br>Bruce Barnard and Mike Kirk.2 All of the founding directors and officers were<br>veteran owners of trading posts in the Southwest. The founding membership of 753<br>grew to over 125 in about 10 years.
