Diné Sterling Silver Three Panel Stamped Bracelet

This Navajo sterling silver bracelet dates to the mid-twentieth century and was not signed by the Diné artist.  A heavy strip of silver was formed in repoussé style to reveal three arched bands, each of which is highlighted by framing lines of exquisite stamp work, but each band left in polished undecorated silver.  It may sound like a simple process but forming the bracelet was anything but simple.

It has been noted that Zuni craftsmen control the largest market for jewelry, however, the demand has grown so much that the Navajo craftsmen are behind only by comparison to the Zuni. There is enough demand for both. Since the last half of the twentieth century, smiths have created an astonishing array of new styles of silver jewelry—a departure from the sameness of that by The Fred Harvey Company in the earlier part of the century. A wide band such as this one is modern, classic, and yet is traditional in the manner of being handmade. Wearing popular southwest Indian jewelry items such as this silver bracelet is not restricted to the Southwest United States.

Condition: very good condition with minor surface scratches

Provenance: this Diné Sterling Silver Three Panel Stamped Bracelet is from the collection of a resident of Texas

Recommended Reading:  NAVAJO SILVER A Brief History of Navajo Silversmithing by Arthur Woodward

TAGS: Southwest Indian Jewelry, Navajo Nation, Bracelets, Zuni Pueblo, Fred Harvey Company

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