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An outstanding pair of contemporary
Navajo silver and turquoise earrings by
Debbie Silversmith, c. 2015-2020
“Like Grandfather, like Granddaughter” is the operative phrase here because Debbie Silversmith (b.1957) is the Granddaughter of the World-renowned Navajo Silversmith, Kenneth Begay and as such she is also the proud fourth generation heir to a most distinguished legacy of outstanding Navajo silversmithing. Her Grandfather, Kenneth Begay (1913-1977) was originally taught silversmithing by the great Navajo smith, Fred Peshlakai (1896-1974) who in turn was taught by his Father, the legendary “Beshlakai Ilhini” or “Slender, Maker-of-silver” (1831-1915).
Silversmith was raised by her Grandparents and she began making silver with Kenneth Begay at the tender age of
ten and then had the next subsequent ten years of intense and intimate personal instruction with the great master before his death in 1977. And did she ever learn her lessons well! She is channelling her Grandfather in almost every possible way from the clean streamlined design of her pieces to her incredibly precise technical execution; she also uses Kenneth Begay’s treasured silversmithing tools which she inherited from him and she lives and works on
his land in Steamboat, Arizona which was also passed down to her.
Four Generations of Navajo Silversmiths
The historic continuity of 19th and 20th Century Navajo silversmithing was handed down from Slender-Maker-of-Silver (1831-1915)
at left to his son, Fred Peshlakai (1896-1974) at center and then in turn to Peshlakai’s student, Kenneth Begay (1913-1977) at near right.
Then, to Kenneth Begay's Granddaughter, Debbie Silversmith, at far right, c. 2012
Center photo source and © Chicago History Museum. Near right photo source and © Arizona Republic. Right photo source and © Martha Struever, Santa Fe, NM.
The designs and fabrication of these earrings echoes and evokes Kenneth Begay in many ways. The sophisticated
and elegant concentric swirl design with its impeccably chisel-worked central medallion bordered by clean expanses of polished silver, the beautifully restrained chiselled designs on the upper edges of the central medallions, the subtly curved contours of the medallions and the graceful and finely serrated silver bezels holding the beautifully, hand-cut teardrop-shaped blue-green Fox, Nevada turquoise stones. The impeccable eye and hand of the old Master being channeled here through the eye and hand of the young master. It’s like seeing in the brilliant Renaissance artist, Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings the distinct echoes of his distinguished Master, Andrea del Verocchio.
The dangle-style earrings are mounted on silver posts and they measure a very dramatic 3 1/8" in length from top
to bottom. They are 1 1/4" in width at their widest points and they weigh a substantial, yet completely comfortable
15 grams or 1/2 ounce each. The earrings are in pristine, like-new original condition and both earrings are properly signed on both their top and bottom sections with Debbie Silversmith’s personal hallmark of a domed Navajo Hogan with her first name “debbie” stamped atop the roofline. This is another homage of sorts to her beloved Grandfather who used a similar Hogan hallmark during the decades he worked at Scottsdale, Arizona’s famous White Hogan Shop.
This is a stunning and elegant pair of modern-day earrings from the hands of a brilliant artist beautifully informed
by the genius of her distinguished ancestor and mentor and by that of his great mentors in turn. These great artists would all surely be proud to know that they played a part in the conception and creation of these exceptional pieces.
Price $925
