Dina Huntinghorse · Wichita
Howling Wolf & Moon Overlay Pendant
This gold wolf pendant by Dina Huntinghorse shows a lone wolf howling at a full moon, worked in 14k gold over sterling silver. The wolf stands with its head raised, its coat textured with fine engraved lines. Above, a polished gold moon glows against a darkened, hand-chiseled night sky. A wide band of 14k gold frames the scene, and a sterling silver bail stamped with a diamond design completes the piece.
Metal — 14k gold over sterling silver
Design — Howling wolf and full moon
Dimensions — 1⅞ × 1⅝ in.
Bail Opening — ¼ in.
Hallmark — Signed with her stylized “DH” hallmark, stamped “Sterling” and “14K” on the back
A Sterling Silver & Gold Wolf Pendant Under a Full Moon
Dina built the scene in layers. First, she cut the wolf and the moon from 14k gold. Then she set them over a sterling silver base, darkened the background, and chiseled it by hand with fine radiating lines. As a result, the night sky seems to shimmer around the moon, while the gold wolf stands out in clear relief. In addition, the engraved texture on the wolf’s coat gives it a sense of life and movement.
The wide gold rim frames this gold wolf pendant like a window onto the night. Meanwhile, the silver bail adds contrast, with three stamped diamond shapes running down its face. Because the pendant measures nearly two inches long, it makes a strong statement on a chain or a beaded necklace, and the ¼ in. bail fits most chains easily.
Dina Huntinghorse
Dina Huntinghorse is a citizen of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes of Oklahoma. She learned silversmithing from her late husband, the Navajo jeweler Herbert Taylor, who taught her inlay, lapidary, and overlay before his death in 1996. Since then, she has developed her own voice, and wolves, along with horses and bears, have become some of her favorite subjects. In short, this gold wolf pendant captures one of her signature images in gold and silver. Finally, the back carries her stylized “DH” hallmark with “Sterling” and “14K.”
