Vintage Diné Small Silver Lidded Box with Turquoise Cabochon [SOLD]

Although this vintage Navajo silver pill box probably dates to after the heyday of Fred Harvey gift shops, it was made in the style of the original boxes. To craft a box such as this requires expert skills. Each side must be fitted with precision to allow the top to fit snugly. The handmade hinges must be attached just so to have the box open and close evenly. Because the formation of boxes is so difficult, they are relatively rare. 

This box is not only well constructed, but is also beautifully stamped. The Diné artist stamped the sides with a series of crescents and small flower shapes. The top has a cab of turquoise in the center which is framed by a series of crescent shapes and flowers that create a lace like look. There are four arrows pointing to the corners of the lid. The box opens and closes snugly and evenly. It is unsigned. It was likely made in the 1970s.

Condition: this Vintage Diné Small Silver Lidded Box with Turquoise Cabochon is in very good condition

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

Recommended Reading:

- Masterworks and Eccentricities: The Druckman Collection

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

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