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Charles Loloma’s Hopi cast-silver “Badger Paw” ring re-issued in a Limited Edition by the Loloma Studio, c.1990’s
ex: Charles and Georgia Loloma Collection
This beautiful ring is an official “Loloma Studio” Estate authorized limited edition re-issue of Charles Loloma’s personal tufa-cast silver "Badger Paw" ring, c. 1960, shown above, a ring Loloma famously wore almost all the time and which is now owned by a longtime Santa Fe colleague of ours. This ring signified Loloma’s deep pride in and identification with his hereditary membership in the powerful Hopi Badger Clan. Loloma also depicted the badger, who is referred to as “Honan” in the Hopi language, in various other types of artwork such as the beautiful colored pencil drawing also pictured here. In fact, if one looks very closely at the front paws of the Badger depiction in this drawing, one can see that they are portrayed in almost the exact same form as Loloma’s badger paw ring and this drawing which also came to us from Loloma’s personal collection may in fact have been the original template for the design of this ring.
This official Loloma Estate re-issue of his badger paw ring was made in a lost-wax casting process based exactly on Loloma’s original ring shortly after Loloma’s death in 1991 by his widow, Georgia Voisard Loloma working in collaboration with the internationally-renowned French jeweler, Pierre Touraine, who was a longtime friend and close jewelry collaborator of Charles Loloma’s. As can be seen, the casting is virtually identical to the original in every way. It is unknown exactly how many rings are in this edition; the most knowledgable estimate is somewhere between fifteen and twenty-five, we ourselves have seen perhaps five or six silver ones over the past thirty or so years since they were made in addition to two gold ones. A limited number of silver bracelets and necklaces using Loloma’s Badger Paw design were also made.
At left, Charles Loloma’s original cast-silver “Badger Paw” ring, c. 1960.
At right, the “Loloma Studio” Estate re-issue ring, c. 1990’s.
An original Charles Loloma colored-pencil drawing of “Honan” the Badger from Charles Loloma’s personal collection. The front paws of the badger are almost identical to the design of this ring.
This ring measures a size 8 1/4 on a professional graduated ring sizer, but due to its uniquely shaped oval shank
(a Loloma innovation) it will comfortably fit fingers up to size 9 3/4 or even 10. The ring’s face is a hair under 2” in height and is 1 1/4” in width at the widest point. It weighs a very comfortable 27 grams or 1 1/8 ounces. The ring is properly Estate hallmarked with a facsimile of Loloma’s famous 11-stroke engraved last name signature and “Studio” on the back. The ring is in pristine original condition and looks for all intents and purposes as if it was never worn.
The ring has a perfectly immaculate provenance. We acquired it directly from the estate of Charles and Georgia Loloma following Georgia Loloma’s death in 2021.
This ring is a classic, iconic piece of Native American jewelry art, beautifully designed and originally crafted
by the great master himself and later most skillfully and faithfully re-issued in his memory by his family Estate
with his former artistic colleague.
Price $1,950
SOLD
Above, Charles Loloma wearing his silver "Badger Paw" ring.
Photo source and © Martha H. Struever, “Loloma, Beauty is his Name.” Wheelwright Museum, Santa Fe, NM, 2005.