Todd Westika Zuni Bear Fetish, Satin Spar Turquoise Eyes. Signed 1999

Description

NOTE: All prices are in USD.
TODD WESTIKA ZUNI BEAR FETISH SIGNED 1999 SATIN SPAR (SELENITE GYPSUM) TURQUOISE EYES.
This listing is for an early Todd Westika Zuni Bear Fetish, Signed by Todd 1999. The fetish exhibits graceful lines in a sculptural quality that is always finely expressed in Todd’s artistry. This Bear is small enough to fit with your other fetishes but large enough to be a powerful presence in the collection. It will be a welcome new acquisition to the carvings in your fetish collection. A Todd Westika fetish is good quality Native art by an artist of renown. A wonderful way to increase the value of your collection of Native American art.
Though vintage, this Bear fetish is New Old Stock NOS. It has been in storage in the family collection since we purchased it from Todd at his workroom in the Zuni Pueblo. Todd was one of our favorite Zuni artists and we acquired a modest collection of his fetishes. This Bear can be an excellent start of your collection of Zuni fetishes, or be a unique beautiful addition to your already impressive collection. It is guaranteed to be one of the most powerful carvings in your fetish collection!
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Zuni fetishes are animal carvings that have been integral to the Zuni culture for thousands of years. The animal a fetish depicts represents that animal’s “special medicine”. Bear represents great strength in the face of adversity, courage, power, healing, introspection and self-reflection, and protection. Bear also represents spiritual communion. A fetish is the physical embodiment of a living spirit and believed to have a spirit as if it were alive. A person must be mindful and respect the spirit of the animal that the fetish signifies. The Zuni feel that it is the spirit within the fetish that is of value, not the object itself. The Zunis regard ceremonial fetishes in carefully directed manners; the fetish must be nurtured in ways that include offerings of cornmeal. It is believed that the care a fetish receives is proportional to the protection it provides.
None of the strict Zuni guidelines apply to non-ceremonial fetishes as we offer here. Fetishes widely available for sale today are non-ceremonial, as they have not been blessed by a medicine man. These fetishes are nothing more than carvings, and are sold as contemporary Native American art.
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PAYMENT AND SHIPMENT
We ship by USPS First Class which includes tracking and full insurance.
RETURNS
We recognize that opal and other items of jewelry or art are very personal and emotional purchases. If you feel your item is not as represented please contact us to discuss any issues you may have. If it is agreed the opal will be returned for refund, you may return it in its’ original condition in protective packaging within 14 days of receipt. Refund to the buyer will amount to the purchase price minus all eBay fees and the cost of outbound and return shipping.
FEEDBACK
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OUTBACK OZ OPAL
Outback Oz Opal began as a two-Geologist family unit in the middle of a street in Coober Pedy, South Australia where we bought from a gem cutter some finished Opal stones and rough Opal to cut and sell in the US. Subsequent Opal purchases of rough and finished stones were made at the Tucson, AZ Gem and Mineral Show where we developed some valuable friendships with Australian miner-cutter vendors. We learned so much about grading and cutting from them. Eventually we were able to purchase the bulk of our Opal off the kitchen table at our Flagstaff home from miner-cutter dealers who routed through on the gem show circuit (Albuquerque, Durango, Denver, etc). Ultimately one miner stored hundreds of pounds of his rough in a SeaLand container on our property to avoid the expense of returning with unsold goods to Australia.
For several years we sold Opal under the name Outback Oz Opal in Flagstaff, AZ. We sold on eBay and locally to Native American artists on the nearby Reservation. Additionally we travelled each month to Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico where we sold from the back of our pickup truck parked “under the tree”. What a dream hobby for two Geologists! But, as is always the case, life happened — a great job opportunity for the Dad in another state and Military service for the Grandson, who had grown up in the business and cut his first Opal fetish when he was in Kindergarten.
We have started again to sell our opal, Native American jewelry, and other Native art objects online as OutbackOzOpal on other selling platforms as well as OznAzOpal on eBay. Thank you for looking at our listings and for placing your trust in Outback Oz Opal.
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