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Turquoise/Native American jewelry

Michaelshane

One Too Many
Messages
1,928
Location
Land of Enchantment
My wife thrifted this heavy cuff today at Goodwill. A late birthday gift for me. [emoji4]

The artist is Emerson Bill (Navajo / Diné).

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"Navajo silversmith Emerson Bill practices a technique all his own. His bracelets are done in overlay technique; a base layer of sheet silver with an overlaid layer from which the design is cut and then soldered to the base layer. Where his technique differs is in his manner of creating the overlaid layer. In Hopi overlay jewelry the design is cut away from the top layer of sheet silver with a jeweler's jigsaw. In Emerson's technique the top layer's design is sculpted with a cold chisel. This allows him to get beveled edges and cut out angles that couldn't be achieved with a saw. At first glance his work appears to be very deep stampwork, but stamps won't cut that deep. The visual effect he seeks is characterized by dramatic relief and bold designs."

I don't know who wrote this but it's wrong.I know Emerson very well.Early when he first started making jewelry he used to look at my jewelry in Richardsons in Gallup.He liked the way I stamped my jewelry deep.He decided he would stamp his even deeper,so thats how it started.He got deeper and deeper,no one stamps as deep as he does.It's just annealed often and pounded multiple times with a heavy hammer.It is not overlay.
 
I don't know who wrote this but it's wrong.I know Emerson very well.Early when he first started making jewelry he used to look at my jewelry in Richardsons in Gallup.He liked the way I stamped my jewelry deep.He decided he would stamp his even deeper,so thats how it started.He got deeper and deeper,no one stamps as deep as he does.It's just annealed often and pounded multiple times with a heavy hammer.It is not overlay.

Thanks for the clarification @Michaelshane. Always good to learn the true techniques. This is where I found that description:

https://chacodog.com/EmersonBillColdChiselSculptedOverlayBraceletsize738_NBS-EBL058.php

Dang Google ... :oops:

I love the piece. I just wish it fit me better.

BTW ... great to see you on the Lounge!
 
Messages
15,259
Location
Arlington, Virginia
Two pieces associated with the Navajo Arts and Crafts Guild - the older bracelet stamped with the "U.S. Navajo 70" mark of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board for the Guild location at Ft. Wingate, used from 1938-1943. The ring is stamped with the Guild's horned moon mark, likely 1940s-1950s.

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Very nice Alan. I like the work on that bracelet
 
One more from my wife’s late grandfather. Purchased in 1979 he wore this on special occasions — 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries, induction into the Barbed Wire Collectors Hall of fame, etc.. I’m wearing it today as it hasn’t been out of the safe since his passing 15 years ago.

Yellow gold with inlay of turquoise, coral, mother-of-pearl, jet, malachite and maybe wood?

Artists were Silas & Bertie Ohmsatte, Zuni.

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Messages
11,369
Location
Alabama
One more from my wife’s late grandfather. Purchased in 1979 he wore this on special occasions — 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries, induction into the Barbed Wire Collectors Hall of fame, etc.. I’m wearing it today as it hasn’t been out of the safe since his passing 15 years ago.

Yellow gold with inlay of turquoise, coral, mother-of-pearl, jet, malachite and maybe wood?

Artists were Silas & Bertie Ohmsatte, Zuni.

b95c9599ce179248941d62d961ff16a2.jpg


87410d0c69c858a764ac505b840a59b2.jpg


057af85400d67b6955b1493853e3e61b.jpg


267c155bef370af4ba6003f43a0b212b.jpg


2386079e963da64fa5983beb8dfffe0e.jpg


af12b5dc1f35e539613e7b273bef2453.jpg

Just beautiful, Bob.
 
Messages
15,077
Location
Buffalo, NY
Recently purchased, a heavy, historically significant cuff with traditional motifs stamped under the Indian Arts and Crafts Board U.S. Navajo program, 1938-42. Trading post 1 corresponds to Louis Ilfeld's Gallup Mercantile Co. Famous trader Charles G. Wallace (assigned U.S. Navajo 2 and U.S. Zuni 1) worked for the Ilfeld trading post at Zuni in his early years.

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Last edited:
Messages
15,077
Location
Buffalo, NY
This doesn't really fit the thread but I though some might enjoy seeing it. One of the dealers I have purchased jewelry from in the past had a classic Ganado Navajo rug for sale. We've collected oriental carpets over the years but this is my first Navajo rug purchase. This piece was purchased out of pawn at the Cross Canyon Trading Post in the early 1960s. Likely woven c.1930.

ganado1.jpg


This detail shows, I believe, the spirit line or weaver's line - an intentional imperfection woven into some Navajo rugs as a pathway to provide an exit for the weaver's spirit.

ganado2.jpg


ganado3.jpg


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Messages
15,259
Location
Arlington, Virginia
This doesn't really fit the thread but I though some might enjoy seeing it. One of the dealers I have purchased jewelry from in the past had a classic Ganado Navajo rug for sale. We've collected oriental carpets over the years but this is my first Navajo rug purchase. This piece was purchased out of pawn at the Cross Canyon Trading Post in the early 1960s. Likely woven c.1930.

ganado1.jpg


This detail shows, I believe, the spirit line or weaver's line - an intentional imperfection woven into some Navajo rugs as a pathway to provide an exit for the weaver's spirit.

ganado2.jpg


ganado3.jpg


crosscanyontradingpost.jpg
That is very nice Alan!
 

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