Amethyst Feather Brooch

An elongated feather, drawn out in silver and set with a single amethyst, gives this brooch a directional sweep that the violet stone anchors at one end. The feather was a natural motif for Spratling's First Design Period, when he was translating native Mexican forms into wearable silver.

The pairing of silver with Mexican amethyst recurs throughout his early jewelry, the stone chosen for the warm contrast it strikes against the metal. Spratling favored the 980 alloy for its softer patina and slower oxidation than sterling (Morrill, Mexican Silver, 1994, p. 36), a surface that suits an elongated polished form like this one.

The two-prong clip backing is the practical fastening of a piece meant to be worn often. Feather pins of this early type surface only occasionally.