We have similar Navajo and Turquoise items, which would pair nicely with this piece, for sale this week. To view in separate listings, please visit our store and search "Navajo" or "Turquoise" under our Buy-It-Now items.
Listing Description by: Angela A.
The Piece
Age Circa: Antique Native Navajo C. 1940
Markings: Unmarked, tested, and guaranteed
Country of Origin: United States - Navajo Nation
Brand: Unknown
Gram Weight: 18.7 grams
Metal Type: .925 sterling silver
Material: --
Main Stone: Turquoise
Main Stone Measurements/Color:
- Length: 15.77 mm
- Width: 13.56 mm
- Depth: 6.08 mm
- Color: opaque green hue with mottled areas of lighter green and beige hues and grey striations
Accent Stone: --
Accent Stone Measurements/Color: --
Stone Treatment: The stone(s) appear to be untreated, but we are not certified gemologists. Stone(s) have been tested and guaranteed using a professional Presidium Duo refractive, heat, and hardness tester.
Stone Cuts: Polished cabochon cut
Item Measurements:- Inner circumference, not including the cuff gap: 5.43"
- Cuff Gap adds an additional: 1.25"
- Total wearable length and inner circumference: 6.68"
- Bracelet width: 1.15"
- The large wrist gap measures 2.37" from end to end
Bracelet Type: Cuff bracelet
Closure/Clasp Type: This bracelet is meant to be worn over the wrist through the gap
Link Type: Rounded and polished sterling silver
Notable Features:
- Handmade by a Navajo silversmith in the 1940s, this gorgeous .925 sterling silver bracelet features a beautiful turquoise stone
- The stone has an opaque green hue with mottled areas of lighter green and beige hues and grey striations
- Resting securely in a bezel setting, the stone is framed by a rope twist and squash blossom motif
- The split band is polished and smooth for comfortable wear
Damage: Age appropriate wear. This bracelet contains tarnish in some areas, giving it a lovely antique quality. There are also some scratches on the inside of the band, which are not visible when worn and do not affect wear. The price has been reduced to reflect this.
*This listing is for the item only. All display boxes and/or photography props do not come with your purchase.*
The History
This beautiful piece was made by a very talented Native American silversmith. It features handcrafted silversmith work throughout. Antique Native American jewelry is very rare to find. This is due to these pieces being made for reservation and personal use before the tourist trade became popular. Very few pieces were made and even less survived to today.
The concept of Pawn, Old Pawn, and Dead Pawn Native American Jewelry came to be in the 1800s. During this time, trading posts had become commonplace for Native Americans to go and exchange food, tools, and other materials with Colonists. Essentially, banks would loan the shop owners money which was then invested into loans for Native Americans in exchange for their jewelry. When a loan wasn’t repaid, the item became known as either “Old Pawn” or “Dead Pawn.”
The Navajo Nation sits on 27,000 square miles within the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. The Navajo have a rich history and culture and have become known for creating some of the finest sterling silver and turquoise jewelry, incorporating their own traditional motifs with silversmithing. The squash blossom necklace is perhaps one the most famous Navajo styles produced, along with turquoise inlay rings. Turquoise is an important stone in Navajo culture; symbolizing happiness, good fortune, and good health.
The first Navajo silversmith, Atsidi Sani, was taught around 1865 by a Mexican silversmith. Atsidi Sani, in turn, taught his four sons, who then started teaching other Navajo artisans. In the beginning, Navajo artisans created sterling silver jewelry for themselves and others in the Navajo Nation. After 1900, with the tourist trade started booming in the Southwest, and Navajo artisans started commercially producing silver and turquoise jewelry and selling it through the various trading posts.
Turquoise is found all over the world and has been a popular semi-precious stone used in jewelry and art for thousands of years by many different cultures; from prehistoric times to the present. Turquoise comes in many beautiful color variations; from the popular bright solid sky-blue hues to dark blue hues with dark spiderwebbing throughout, as well as aqua, teal, and many green varieties, and even some rare white with dark spiderwebbing.
The squash blossom design refers to the likeness of a bead or stone to the flower from a blossoming squash plant, which was a significant food source for the native Navajo. The design originated from Spanish contact with the Navajo many years ago. The original likeness of the design can be attributed to the pomegranate blossom of the eastern world, and was adapted by the Navajo for their own use. In many contemporary designs, the concept is still used, however, sometimes the design is highly conceptualized, and it is not obviously recognizable.
