Hopi overlay jewelry was developed after World War 2. The Hopi silversmith cuts an intricate deign out of one piece of silver and then solders it onto another piece of silver, oxiding the cutout designs. If you look closely, you can see that the darkened areas have a texture that the artist has worked into those areas.

 

Phillip Honanie was a very talented silversmith.  He was very active from the late 1960s into the early 21st century. He unfortunately suffered from diabetes and he died in 2017. His work is highly regarded and very collectible.

 

Honanie’s hallmark is a pair of crescents, which is the Hopi sign for friendship.