Horace Iule — Silversmith

Name-card placeholder — hallmark imagery to follow

Overview

Horace Iule (1899–1978) was a Zuni master silversmith, active 1924–1978 — hand-wrought and cast work, set stones, some inlay: crosses, bracelets, rings and pendants, and above all the Knifewing figure. Taught blacksmithing at the Phoenix Indian School and silversmithing by his father, he went on to teach silversmithing himself at the Zuni Day School. In 1928 he created a Knifewing figure in silver, and the corpus calls him perhaps the first master Zuni artisan.

Adair (1944) described him as "versatile and skilled" — a master of casting, wrought work and lapidary alike. The Extension Service wrote in 1932: "Horace is considered to be the best jewelry maker of his tribe and won first prize on a collection at the recent Inter-Tribal Ceremonial and Fair at Gallup, NM." He collaborated with his wife Lupe Iule, and was father of Barney, Cecilia, Phillip, Robert, Ruby and Wilbur Iule.

Our scan of the corpus prints the surname as "lule" (lowercase L); the documented mark "H. IULE" fixes the spelling Iule.

The Mark

"Horace lule (1899-1978; Zuni). Active 1924-1978. Hand wrought; cast work; set stones; some inlay work; crosses; bracelets; rings; pendants; knife wing motif. Horace lule was taught blacksmithing at the Phoenix Indian School, and silver smithing by his father. He later became a teacher of silver smithing at the Zuni Day School. In 1928, lule created a knife wing figure in silver jewelry and he was perhaps the first master Zuni artisan. Adair (1944) described him as •versatile and skilled” and a master of many elements of constructi.on techniques, including casting, wrought works and lapidary, to carry out his designs. According to the Extension Service in 1932, “Horace is considered to be the best jewelry maker of his tribe and won first prize on a collection at the recent Inter-Tribal Ceremonial and Fair at Gallup, NM.” Horace lule collaborated with his wife Lupe lule. Father of Barney, Cecilia, Phillip, Robert, Ruby and Wilbur lule. Mark: H. IULE (the middle bar of the Eis slightly shorter than the other two; the U may be very slightly elevated relative to the other letters); beware of modern fakes"

— Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. (2022), approx. p. ~16443.

The mark as documented in the Hougart corpus: H. IULE (the middle bar of the E slightly shorter than the other two; the U may sit very slightly elevated relative to the other letters).

References

• Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. Schiffer Publishing, 2022. Entry approx. p. ~16443.

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