Vintage Ingot Navajo Cuff Bracelet with Square Spiderweb Stone [SOLD]

The arrival of the railroad in the American Southwest generated positive change in the lives of artists living and working in the region.  Modern tools, and the availability of new materials as well as different markets to sell their work, produced an invigorating explosion of new forms and designs in Southwest Indian jewelry. New tools allowed artists to be more precise in their fabrication and innovative design elements evolved as artists attempted to meet the demands of new customers.

This 1940s bracelet is a reflection of these times. An unknown Diné silversmith used heavy gauge ingot silver to precisely craft this classic silver and turquoise bracelet. Elegant stampwork showcases a gorgeous blue spiderweb stone. Fine hand stamping and appliqué of small stamped silver drops symmetrically placed on a ⅞” wide cuff serve as a frame to the remarkable, rectangular stone. The final effect is a perfect example of the fine work by Native jewelers in the mid-20th Century.  As was common during this period, the bracelet is unsigned.

Condition: the Vintage Navajo Cuff with Square Spiderweb Stone is in very good condition. The stone is intact and the silver has been smoothed out from wear.

Provenance: from a Native American Jewelry collector in Colorado

Recommended Reading:

- The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths by John Adair

- Indian Silver: Navajo and Pueblo Jewelers by Margery Bedinger