Collectors' Corner
Circa 1910. This Transitional weaving is spectacular. It was made with all natural handspun wool and has luxurious feel to the touch. It is 84 by 63 inches.
These are beautiful collar tips from a large collection we have recently acquired. The stones are all natural turquoise and the stamp work and settings remind me of work from the 1950's. This is an excellent piece. One side is 5 inches and the other is 6 inches.
This large Hopi coil basket is unique. The size of this piece is spectacular and the condition. Circa 1930 it would be a wonderful completion of a basket collection. It stands 12 inches tall and sits 16 inches wide.
1960’s Navajo single row turquoise row bracelet with five natural stones. It is a fine example of Navajo work from that time with twisted wire decoration on the sides and sterling silver balls set between the turquoise stones, which look to be Persian and very high quality. It is Size is 6 5/8 inches
Shadowbox style bracelet from the 1960’s with 21 high grade blue turquoise stones. They are probably Morenci, but could have come from any number of mines. The stamp work on the borders of the shadowbox area is beautifully done. Size 7 inches.
A magnificent Zuni bracelet with five rows of hand cut square turquoise stones, probably from the Morenci Turquoise mine. This piece, from the 1950’s, is a great example of Zuni row bracelets and one that is seen rarely. Size 7 inches.
1960’s unsigned bracelet made with heavy twisted silver wire decoration and set with a classic large piece of Morenci turquoise. It is a smashing piece of jewelry, obviously made by a master silversmith. A real value at $1800.00. Size 6 3/4 inches.
It looks like a heavy bracelet that you would expect to be fashioned with silver half round wire and and heavy sheet silver. Instead, when you pick it up it is very light, as though it were made for someone who wanted the heavy look, but not the heavy feel. It is made out of one piece of silver which was carefully stamped to provide the decorative designs on the side and then, pounded out from the back to create to look of round wire. The three high quality stones are not matched in shape, but all come from the same mine. A very creative and innovative piece. Size 6 3/4 inches.
This is a piece from the 1960’s that is signed “Phil T.” We have not yet been able to identify the silversmith, which is unfortunate as he was a real artist. The turquoise in this bracelet is absolutely beautiful, high grade Bisbee. Stones of this quality are very rare and expensive today and are seldom found in jewelry. They are usually traded and sold by the carat to collectors. There are 15 absolutely beautiful stones in this finely crafted bracelet. Size 6 1/2 inches.
Mark Chee was an active Navajo silversmith from 1930 through the 60’s. He did work for Frank Patania Sr., a famous Italian silversmith who had the Thunderbird shop in Santa Fe, for Al Packard (who was the founder of Packard’s in Santa Fe) and for the Waddell family that owns the Lone Mountain Turquoise Mine. His simple and elegant silver work with beautiful stones were unmatched by any Navajo Silversmith of his era. This piece is set with a large green stone that has small windows of bright blue coming through. One turquoise collector at the Marin Show in California felt that the piece was probably early Kingman Turquoise as he had seen the same color in samples from that mine. Who knows? It is beautiful and a true collector’s piece. Size 6 5/8 inches.
