Frank Patania Sr.

Italian-American silversmith Frank Patania Sr. (1899–1964) was born in Sicily and began his career in Italy as a jeweler’s apprentice at the age of 6. In 1908, he immigrated to the United States and later apprenticed under a goldsmith in New York. After World War I, Patania worked as a designer for a New York jewelry company until 1924, when he contracted tuberculosis. Seeking a healthier environment, he relocated to a sanatorium in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Captivated by the Southwest’s climate, culture, and art, Patania decided to make Santa Fe his permanent home once his health improved.

Patania’s discovery of Native American jewelry deeply resonated with him, and he knew he had found the medium he wished to master. In 1927, he founded the Thunderbird Shop in Santa Fe, where he merged his European-trained techniques with Southwestern Native American materials and motifs. Patania quickly established himself as one of the most innovative and skilled jewelers in the Southwest. His unique style profoundly influenced the development of Native American jewelry in the 20th century, helping to shape its design and aesthetics. Over time, his reputation grew, attracting prominent collectors like Georgia O’Keeffe. Several of his apprentices, including his son Frank Patania Jr. and Santo Domingo silversmith, Julian Lovato, went on to become renowned jewelers in their own right. Frank Patania Sr. passed away in Tucson, Arizona in 1964.

Hallmarks of Frank Patania Sr.:

• Early Years: Frank’s earliest pieces were unsigned.
• Late 1930s - Mid-1940s: Introduced a “thunderbird” hallmark with a “sterling” die stamp.
• Mid-1940s - 1950s: Added a conjoined block “FP” to the thunderbird and sterling stamps.
• 1950s-1964: Used an “FP” inside an oval, known as a “cartouche.”