Thanksgiving and a site update!

Well, hard as it is to believe, it's the week before Thanksgiving.  Another year is winding down.  Darlene and I wish you all the best of Thanksgiving holidays!  We're grateful and proud to have healthy kids and grandkids.  Darlene continues to get good reports so we are doing well healthwise.  We still love living in the country so we have LOTS to be thankful for!

I'll be posting a beautiful selection of fetishes on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7 PM in the evening.  Among these are some real treasures.  I was fortunate to recently acquire a Neil Natewa piece that is stunning and a wonderful double fetish by Aaron and Thelma Sheche.

In addition, there are these beautiful contemporary carvings and they are just a few of the bunch I'll be posting.

L - R Top:  Hubert Pincion, Lena Boone
Bottom:  Ronnie Lunasee, Lynn Quam

So I hope you will tune in to see the new things.  We also have a small inventory of hard cover books just in time for gift giving.  If you'd like to see what Darlene's been up to, visit her website here, and sign up for her newsletters.  I'm sure she'd love to hear from you!

darlenemeaderriggs.com

Thanks for looking and from our family to yours,
Happy Thanksgiving!

Dave
david@zunispirits.com
Zuni Spirits

Of note ..

Just a brief head's up about an upcoming treasure.  I have a single strand Mother of pearl bird necklace carved by the late Leonard Halate that I'll be posting Wednesday (11/11/15) at 7PM.  

Leonard was best known later in his life for his dinosaur carvings and for utilizing found objects (combs, pieces of plastic) as part of his artistic creations.  It's been said (and I don't know if it is true or not) that Whoopi Goldberg collected his work before he passed away.

We have another Halate necklace currently on the site, a double strand.  It's quite an amazing thing for a serious collector to be able to add pieces of this magnitude to a collection.  While the contemporary carvers are faithful to tradition and equally talented to their ancestral forefathers, there's a lot to be said for the old time way of doing things.  Just holding these old timer treasures in your hands is a gift and privilege.

I've recently acquired some wonderful new things that will be showing up on the site between now and Christmas.   We also have a small supply of the hard cover copy of our book, just in time for gift giving.  We hope you'll keep us in mind when the Christmas Spirit comes knocking.

Darlene and I send you our best wishes, as always.

God bless!

Dave
david@zunispirits.com
Zuni Spirits

Award Winner Troy Sice | Estate Sale Find

Hello friends,

One of the things that I love (and there are many!) about being in this business is that we never know what treasure might land on our doorstep.

I was recently contacted by a man who had a very special carving that he had purchased at an estate sale in Tucson.  He sent pictures and asked Zuni Spirits to represent this piece for him on our website.

The pictures were astounding but when the piece arrived I was unprepared for just how amazing it was.  Carved from elk antler, this knifewing measures just under 18" long.  It is spectacularly carved, burnished for additional detail and inlaid with the finest in natural materials.

Troy Sice has been winning awards consistently for some time now, and just this past August he won "Best of Class" at the Sante Fe Indian Market with these two carvings:

Troy Sice
Best of Class
SWAIA - Santa Fe Indian Market, 2015

On Thursday, Oct. 15th, at 7 PM, I'll be updating the Zuni Spirits website with this most remarkable treasure.  In talking with Troy this past week, we've learned that this piece was carved in 2005 for the retail market.  Somehow, it got from either Gallup or Albuquerque and then, ten years later, ended up in an estate sale in Tucson.

I am not exaggerating when I tell you that it is, hands down, one of the finest carvings we've had the opportunity to share with you.  I hope you'll tune in on Thursday to see this spectacular piece of Zuni art. 

Here are just a couple of photos to whet your appetite!

I hope that you will tune in on Thurs to see this remarkable piece of Zuni art!  Till then, always ..

All best wishes, 

Dave

david@zunispirits.com

Zuni Spirits

Site update - Wednesday, 9.9 @ Noon

Dear Zuni Fetish Collectors,

American Beauty Berries
Photo by Darlene

As hard as it is to believe, we have yet another summer almost behind us.  The trees are starting to drop their leaves, the hummingbirds are moving south and school has started for most of the kids.  We'll be "fa-la-la-ing" to Christmas carols before you know it!

A sure sign of getting older is knowing, beyond a doubt, that time is flying by!  Case in point, all of the carvings in the upcoming selection are consigned to us by a long time collector who is downsizing.  Many of these carvings are more than ten years old, and some are from the 1990's.  That seems like yesterday!  In fact, Darlene and I started collecting in the mid-1990's ourselves.  Not long after, on our first trip to Zuni, we became so enamored with all things Zuni, the only LOGICAL thing to do was to become a trader!  And here we are .. almost twenty years later.

The talented folks of Zuni have given us so much joy and pleasure both with their artwork and with their gracious hospitality.  If you haven't made the trip, don't miss an opportunity to visit this magical place.

Unknown carver - black marble mountain lion
Frank Nieto - alabaster bear
Hayes Leekya - Zuni rock sheep

I'll be posting fourteen consigned pieces on Wednesday (Sept. 9) at noon.  I hope you'll stop by to find something you love.

Till then, keep smiling (it makes folks wonder what you've been up to!)

All best wishes,

Dave
david@zunispirits.com
Zuni Spirits

Beauties For Sale - New posting at Zunispirits.com!

Dear Zuni Fetish Collector:

The upcoming posting is filled with true Zuni treasures.  The variety of carvings, carver's and stones makes this one of my favorite postings in a while.  I hope you'll think so, too!

L - R:
 Ricky Laahty | Norman Cooeyate & Jacqueline Ghahate | Lena Boone
Charles Martinez, Jr., Stewart Quandelacy, Lynn Quam

I'll be posting these fetishes along with more really special carvings on Tuesday evening (8.11) at 7 PM, Central time.  I hope you'll come by for a visit.

In other news, Darlene has had two paintings accepted to a show in Llano next month and she's really excited about that.  If you haven't visited her website, you should go and check it out!

We hope you're having a pleasant summer.  It's almost back-to-school time and before you know it, it will be time to Christmas shop.  We have a new shipment in of our book, so you might consider giving a signed copy to a Zuni fetish collector near you. 

All best wishes - all the time!

Dave
david@zunispirits.com
Zuni Spirits

SALE! Zunispirits.com

Greetings Fellow Zuni Fetish Collectors!

Just a quick note to let you know that we have marked down a significant number of beautiful carvings on Zunispirits.com.  Just click the link and the scroll down until you see the sale section.

You'll find carvings by: Ronnie Lunasee, Randy Lucio, Marilyn Quam, Brian Yatsattie, Willard Laate, Eldred Quam, Robert Michael Weahkee, Josh Leki, Ron Laahty, Bernard Homer, Jr., Hayes Leekya, Clissa Martin & more. Visit Zunispirits.com today!

I'd like to invite you also to visit Darlene's site. She's entered several shows this summer and took best of show with her first entry, early this spring.  You can email her directly at darlene@darlenemeaderriggs.com.

DarleneMeaderRiggs.com

 She continues to do well after breast cancer and slowly, but surely, her strength has returned. While still a patient at M. D. Anderson in Houston, at this point, she's only being seen a few times a year as a precaution. We're grateful for her recovery and her "cancer free" status.

Together, we send you our warmest wishes.  Have a great, safe summer and we hope to hear from you soon.

Best always,

Dave
david@zunispirits.com
Zuni Spirits

Site update, June 6th @ NOON!

Hello all,

Just a quick note to let you know that new fetishes will be posted at noon (central) tomorrow to Zunispirits.com.

F. Kiyite Fossil Rabbit - Lena Boone Murano Glass Bear
Freddie Leekya - Zuni rock Pig - Delvin Leekya Zuni Rock Badger

The carving families of Lunasee, Leekya, Boone, Quam, Kiyite, Mahooty and Burns are represented in this selection which includes Zuni rock, Murano glass, jet, fluorite, Picasso marble, fossil marble, travertine and gold-lipped Mother of pearl.

Hope you'll stop by.  Thanks so much for looking!

(If you're interested in what Darlene is up to these days, stop by DarleneMeaderRiggs.com!)

Best wishes,

Dave
david@zunispirits.com
Zuni Spirits

New Posting on 5.11 @ noon, Zunispirits.com

Greetings from Texas!

I hope this finds you all well and enjoying a beautiful springtime in your part of the world.  It was an exceptional one here in east Texas.  All the rain we've had has been most welcomed!

Just wanted to give you all a head's up that I will be adding new inventory to Zunispirits.com on Monday, May 11 at noon, Texas time.  There are carvings by Hayes Leekya, Lena Boone, Vernon & Prudencia (Lunasee) Quam, Ephran Chavez, Tim Lementino, Russell Shack and others.

Carvings include horses, turtle, rabbits, frogs, eagles, bears (oh my!) and stones are malachite, turquoise, Mother of Pearl, jet, Zuni rock, azurite and a couple of nice Murano glass pieces.

I hope you'll stop by.  Thanks so much for looking!

Darlene has asked me to express her gratitude to those of you who extended condolences in the recent passing of her mother.  The cards and emails were much appreciated.  Thank you. 

Dave
david@zunispirits.com
Zuni Spirits

UPDATE! Zunispirits.com

Greetings Zuni Spirits Friends!

Long time no see!  I just wanted you to know that I will be updating Zunispirits.com on Friday @ noon, March 13 & that's Texas time (CDT).

This posting has fetishes from Lynn & Jayne Quam, Vernon Lunasee & Prudencia Quam, Kenny Chavez, a gorgeous fetish necklace by Juana Homer, and lots more from some of your favorite carvers.

Additionally, I've added some thing to the sale page which is now at the bottom of our index page.  We also have some beautiful pieces that have been consigned to us from trusted collectors of Zuni fetishes.

We hope you'll visit us on Friday!

Darlene continues to do well with her cancer recovery and has been diligently painting.  She entered her first juried show in November and took best of show!

You can view all her recent paintings and keep up with her at DarleneMeaderRiggs.com.  Sign up to receive her site updates.  She's planning to enter a half dozen shows this year and posts new paintings regularly to her website.  

We delivered these two yesterday for the upcoming exhibition at The Brick Wall Gallery in Nacogdoches (home of Stephen F. Austin University!):

Heart In The Deep Of Texas
12" Oil on board (Framed to 18")
$295.

Bocephus
18" Oil on canvas
$395.

She even talked me into entering a couple of my photographs in the show, so these two are now delivered and ready for installation.

Augusta Dogwoods
12" square gallery wrapped canvas
Ready to hang!
$65. + shipping

Big Slough Wilderness
14" square, gallery wrapped canvas
Ready to hang!
$95. + shipping

So you can see, there's been lots of activity at our house!

This has been a very wet winter in East Texas and we're looking forward to a beautiful spring.  Darlene and I send you our best wishes.  And we appreciate, always, your interest in Zuni Spirits.

Best always,

Dave
david@zunispirits.com
Zuni Spirits