OK, I am cheating on this one, I did not read the whole book, but found it in a pile of books at the reference desk on the Southwest, including a book on Southwestern pottery which I also perused page by page. For this one I read all the picture captions and once I became intrigued by the woman - Millicent Rogers, I read her biographical story at the beginning and end of the book and bits and pieces elsewhere. She was a Standard Oil heiress, but had suffered rheumatic fever as a child, so her health was fragile. But she lived life fully. Besides being beautifully, sometimes eccentrically, dressed and marrying at least three times, she also was highly charitable and helped her Jewish friends escape from Europe. Towards the end of her life, when she discovered Taos, NM and the gentle cultures of the Indian peoples she met, she took on the cause to collect and preserve their art. Her sons created the museum after her death. (She was supposedly too weak to bear children, but did anyway, as she felt it was her duty as a wife.)
The jewelry itself is gorgeous. I never understood the massive silver belt buckles and thingy's - concha, but now that I have read about them, I definitely will appreciate them much more. I have admired squash blossom necklaces, but did not realize that many Indian necklaces contained crosses. Many beautiful bracelets, necklaces, rings, pins, etc. And of course the turquoise - can't forget the beautiful turquoise - plus coral and other interesting stones. Millicent Rogers not only collected jewelry, but designed and even learned to make some herself. Her sons have had more examples made from her design sketches. All beautiful.
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