Silver And Gold Native American Pima Medallion

This stunning piece is from my North American Indian Motif book. It is a Pima Indian pattern related, I believe, to the elaborate basket weaving designs. I etched the design onto sterling silver to create this medallion.

Etching is an interesting process. The pattern is copied onto blue Press and Peel paper. It is burnished onto heated sterling silver sheet. Once the piece cools, the paper is peeled off, the design is left on the silver, sort of like a tattoo. The piece is placed in an acid bath which etches the design into the silver. After the etch is deep enough the silver is placed in a neutralizing solution. The remains of the blue paper is cleaned off. The piece is sawed away from the sheet silver, filed, refined and polished. 

After depletion gilding I burnished strips of 24K Gold Foil like spokes of a wheel onto the heated silver. This ancient Korean technique is called Keum Boo. 

I painted patina around the central silver portion for color contrast. 

Dimensions : 3" diameter with an 18 inch beautiful heavy silver chain.