Description
Leekya Deyuse (1889-1966) Zuni Carved turquoise Cast silver bracelet. Carving<br>attributed to Leekya Deyuse, another cast bracelet with similar carving also on<br>a high quality stone, also with the same seam in the back center as this one,<br>also with three scratched letters which were likely a pricing code at the time<br>was sold by Cowan's auction in 2020 with the carving attributed to Leekya<br>Deyuse.<br><br>LEEKYA DEYUSE (1889-1966)<br>Leekya Deyuse is unquestionably the most famous of the Zuni Carvers. One of the<br>most expert and innovative carvers of his time, to this day his works command<br>the highest prices by collectors and museums alike. Sotheby’s sold a necklace<br>with turquoise leaves set in silver, well in excess of $35,000.00.<br><br>His carving legacy lives on through his children whom he taught to carve and who<br>are now or were master jewellers or carvers in their own right. His<br>grandchildren in this instance Juanna Homer, also a carver is carrying his<br>legacy into the future.<br><br>Zuni Leekya Deyuse<br>An early picture of Leekya using hand tools (Courtesy of the Heard Museum)<br>Zuni Leekya Deyuse<br>Circa 1960’s late in life he is pictured here using power tools-(Courtesy of the<br>Wheelwright Museum)<br>During the 1920’s Leekya worked on the excavations of Hawikuh Ruins, or Hawikuh,<br>located within the Zuni reservation. This exposure to these ruins is believed to<br>have greatly influenced his carvings. Below are quotations from “Zuni Carvers<br>The Mid-Century Masters” by Kent McManis. (page 16)<br><br>Leekya began carving es by the 1930’s. Although C.G.Wallace who sold most of<br>Leekya’s early work, helped make him famous, Leekya also worked with Kelseys,<br>the Vander Wagens, the Kirks, John Kennedy, and Joe Tanner.<br><br>“Rubenesque” seems the term best applied to many of Leekya’s es. Sharp edges<br>rarely appear and fine detail gives way to stylized suggestion.<br><br>Also diagnostic are open mouths often with exposed tongues. Whilst he favored<br>bears as subjects Leekya also produced wolves or coyotes, wonderful livestock es<br>and birds that often appear quizzical.<br><br>Leekya used a variety of carving materials, and he worked stones in many ways.<br>For C.G.Wallace, the Kirks and the Vander Wagens, he made es that were set into<br>jewelry. He made nugget and stone tab necklaces as well as many stringing es.<br>…….Leekya carved turquoise leaves for jewelry or for use as necklace elements<br>and sometimes collaborated with other artists…<br><br>He worked most of his life at home with simple hand tools, but late in life<br>Leekya adopted electrical equipment.<br><br>All precious metals are tested and guaranteed, any Native American jewelry<br>referred to as Silver or Sterling is guaranteed to be a minimum of 90% (coin)<br>silver and possibly higher content. Most cuff bracelets are shown photographed<br>on a 6" woman's wrist and will include a photo showing the inside circumference<br>where the metal tip meets the number on the tape measure.
