Frank Patania Jr.: Renowned Santa Fe & Tucson Silversmith (Part 1) - Epi. 107, Host Dr. Mark Sublette

Art Dealer Diaries Podcast

I had an important historical figure on the podcast today, Frank Patania Jr. original owner of the Thunderbird shop of Santa Fe and Tucson, and the son of Frank Patania Sr. tells the story of the lives of three generations of silversmiths. I had Sam Patania, Frank Jr's son on an earlier podcast which you might want to listen to as well. Frank and I spoke for almost 3 hours so this is a two-part podcast with the remainder of the story appearing in episode 108 which is part two. Part one focuses on Frank Sr and their time in Santa Fe. We talk about how Frank Sr. got into the jewelry business, the opening of the first Thunderbird Shop in 1927 in Santa Fe, the second shop in Tucson in 1937, and finally the historic figures orbiting both shops in the mid 20th century. I really wanted to get into the weeds in part one as it's important for people to have this information for future use considering the sizable legacy of the Patania family. If you are a Patania collector or someone who's very interested in the history of southwest silversmithing, particularly in Santa Fe and Tucson, this podcast is one you will definitely enjoy.