Navajo Stamped Sterling Silver and Turquoise Lidded Pill Box [SOLD]

This Navajo sterling silver “pill box” was beautifully constructed and designed by a talented Diné silversmith.  The corners of the box were expertly bent to crisp edges and soldered to the silver base. The lid is a perfect fit and has a closure mechanism.  The design stamped on the lid is very balanced as one would expect of a craftsman who lived a life of balance or hozho, the Diné concept for balance and beauty.

The aesthetics of the Diné` are evident in all works of art—silversmithing, weaving, and sculpting.  The layout of design in Navajo blankets and rugs is very symmetrical and organized. This is also true in the stampwork of the silversmiths.  Balance is a way of life and affects all aspects of life. It is often easy to determine if silver works were created by a Diné or a Pueblo artisan.  If it is well balanced and symmetrical, it was made by a Diné.  

Condition: this Navajo Stamped Sterling Silver and Turquoise Lidded Pill Box is in  original condition

Provenance: from the collection of a gentleman from Washington, D.C.

Recommended Reading:

- Navajo and Pueblo Jewelry and Metalwork 1880-1950 by Robert Bauver

- Masterworks and Eccentricities: The Druckman Collection

- Beesh Ligaii In Balance: The Besser Collection Of Navajo And Pueblo Silverwork by John Torres-Nez

Relative Links: Diné of the Navajo Nation, Southwest Indian Jewelry: Silver Objects