Hopi, Southwest
1870s
Ingot silver, jet, turquoise, spiny oyster shell, leather
Silver height 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm) Width 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)
Provenance: Fred Boschan, Philadelphia, PA
This Hopi bow guard, or ketoh, dates to the 1870s and is worked in early ingot silver with inset jet, turquoise, and spiny oyster shell. Bow guards were worn at the wrist to protect against the recoil of the bowstring when releasing an arrow. In this example, the protective function is joined with a mask-like face design, giving the object a strong ceremonial and sculptural presence.
The silver face is framed by dark leather and detailed with radiating stampwork, rectangular eyes, and a central shell-set mouth. The use of ingot silver places the piece within an early period of Native Southwestern silverwork, before commercial sheet silver became widely available. The combination of silver, shell, turquoise, and jet reflects both technical skill and the visual language of Hopi adornment.
The mask imagery gives the bow guard meaning beyond its practical use, connecting personal protection with ceremonial identity and visual authority. Its provenance from the Fred Boschan collection adds further collector relevance while remaining secondary to the object’s early date, materials, and form. As a featured item, it stands as a strong 19th-century Southwestern silver object with clear function, presence, and historical depth.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Hopi, Southwest
1870s
Ingot silver, jet, turquoise, spiny oyster shell, leather
Silver height 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm) Width 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)
Provenance: Fred Boschan, Philadelphia, PA
This Hopi bow guard, or ketoh, dates to the 1870s and is worked in early ingot silver with inset jet, turquoise, and spiny oyster shell. Bow guards were worn at the wrist to protect against the recoil of the bowstring when releasing an arrow. In this example, the protective function is joined with a mask-like face design, giving the object a strong ceremonial and sculptural presence.
The silver face is framed by dark leather and detailed with radiating stampwork, rectangular eyes, and a central shell-set mouth. The use of ingot silver places the piece within an early period of Native Southwestern silverwork, before commercial sheet silver became widely available. The combination of silver, shell, turquoise, and jet reflects both technical skill and the visual language of Hopi adornment.
The mask imagery gives the bow guard meaning beyond its practical use, connecting personal protection with ceremonial identity and visual authority. Its provenance from the Fred Boschan collection adds further collector relevance while remaining secondary to the object’s early date, materials, and form. As a featured item, it stands as a strong 19th-century Southwestern silver object with clear function, presence, and historical depth.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
