Zuni Glass Fox Fetish by Lena Boone (d)

ca 2005

1" x 2"

From a Private Colorado Collection

Excellent Condition

Lena Boone (1946–2024) was a prominent Zuni fetish carver from Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, known for her traditional yet innovative carvings. As the granddaughter of Teddy Weahkee, a pioneering Zuni artist, and daughter of Edna Leki, believed to be the first female Zuni fetish carver, Lena was part of a five-generation carving dynasty. She learned the craft from her mother and grandfather, beginning by sanding and polishing fetishes as a teenager after Teddy’s death in 1965. Her sister, Dinah Gasper, and children, Leland and Evalena Boone, also became accomplished carvers, continuing the family legacy.

Lena’s fetishes are characterized by their simplicity, traditional “old style” minimalism, and easily recognizable forms, such as foxes with pointed ears or mountain lions with tails atop their backs.