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An outstanding selection of thirteen historic
Navajo silver bracelets, c.1920’s-50’s
We have recently struck a very rich vein of historic Navajo silver jewelry here with this terrific “Baker’s Dozen” group of thirteen fine vintage bracelets. There are all kinds of different designs, sizes, widths, weights and prices to choose from here. Have an armload of fun!
Bracelet Number 1
This extremely well made, c.1940’s-50’s cuff bracelet is beautifully crafted with very lovely and detailed stamp work designs. The bracelet measures 1 1/2” in continuous width all the way around. The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 5/8”, the gap between the terminals is 15/16”, the total interior circumference is 6 9/16” and it weighs a substantial yet completely comfortable 86 grams or 3 ounces. It is unmarked for the maker as was common during this time period but there are several old trader’s codes scratched on the interior. This is a very precious looking bracelet and it is in excellent original condition.
Price $1,650
Bracelet Number 2
This beautiful wider cuff bracelet, c.1940’s, has an elegant streamlined contoured shape and restrained Modernist-style stamp work designs. It has the distinctive sensibility of the Navajo Arts and Crafts Guild and could in fact be an unsigned NACG piece. The bracelet measures 1 5/8” in continuous width all the way around.
The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 1/2”, the gap between the terminals is 1 1/8” and the total interior circumference is 6 5/8” and the bracelet weighs an impressive 94 grams or 3 1/4 ounces. It is in excellent original condition with some age-appropriate wear.
Price $1,550
Bracelet Number 3
And in this corner is the undisputed Middleweight bangle champion of this bunch weighing in at a solid 83 grams or 2 7/8 ounces, a fairly husky fella indeed especially considering its relatively slim width, but it is still quite comfortable and wearable on the wrist. This is a traditionally made older piece c. 1915-20’s crafted from cast-ingot silver likely from melted-down silver coins and elegantly decorated with a distinctive and marvelous twin Lightning Snake design.
The bracelet measures 9/16” in continuous width all the way around. The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 1/2”, the gap between the terminals is 1 1/4”, the total interior circumference is 6 3/4”. The bracelet is just shy of 3/16” in thickness all the way around and it weighs 83 grams or 2 7/8 ounces. It is in excellent original vintage condition with some wonderful dedicated age-appropriate wear and a fine soft glowing patina. This beauty has been very well-loved and well-worn over the years and it’s very easy to see why!
SOLD
Bracelet Number 4
This fine cast-ingot silver piece is one of the older bracelets in this group, c. 1920’s-30’s, traditionally made from melted-down silver coins or a cast silver “slug” obtained from a trading post. The bracelet has uniquely and beautifully scalloped and stamped outer edges all the way around which are slightly contoured upwards for an interesting perception and sense of depth. The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 3/8”, the gap between the terminals is 1”, the total interior circumference is 6 3/8” and it weighs a very wearable 62 grams or 2 1/8. It is in excellent original condition with some age-appropriate wear. A really unique and striking beauty!
Price $1,850
Bracelet Number 5
Another beautiful “revival” style cuff bracelet from the 1940’s-50’s evocative of the restrained elegant style of the Navajo Guild or Scottsdale’s famed White Hogan Shop, this bracelet features a striking double row of oval lozenge-shaped stamp work designs running all the way down the shank to the terminals where there are two rows of very interesting circular stamped designs. The bracelet measures 1 1/4” in continuous width all the way around. The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 11/16”, the gap between the terminals is 1”, the total interior circumference is 6 11/16” and it weighs 57 grams or 2 ounces. The bracelet is in excellent original condition with some degree of age-appropriate wear. A wonderful design on an extremely wearable piece, perfect for either a man or woman.
Price $1,650
Bracelet Number 6
This bracelet is a particularly sweet goodie, “the kind” of perfectly-crafted vintage, c. 1940’s narrow cast ingot Sterling silver cuff bracelet with good weight and fine feel that every serious Indian trader worth their flip-flops is always on the hunt for. Really great chisel and stamp work decoration in a diagonal design pattern with interestingly serrated edges top and bottom. The bracelet measures 5/8” in continuous width all the way around. The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 5/8”, the gap between the terminals is 1 1/4”, the total interior circumference is 6 7/8” and it weighs 59 grams or 2 1/8 ounces, substantial for its relatively slim width. The bracelet is not marked for the maker but it is stamped “Sterling” on the interior. You will certainly attract a lot of attention wearing this Goodie and very likely a few sales inquiries.
Price $1,950
Bracelet Number 7
A very handsome c.1950’s bracelet in the streamlined Modernist style of Kenneth Begay and The White Hogan Shop featuring two elegant parallel panels of finely executed diagonal stampworked and chiseled designs on a highly-polished silver shank.
The bracelet measures 1” in continuous width all the way around, width. The inner circumference end-to-end is
5 1/4”, the gap between the terminals is 1”, the total interior circumference is 6 1/4”and it weighs a very comfortable 43 grams or 1 1/2 ounces. The bracelet is in completely excellent original condition and is unmarked for the maker which was fairly common during this time period. This modern day classic piece can be worn anywhere anytime by anyone.
Price $1,550
Bracelet Number 8
This is an extremely impressive-looking bracelet, c.1940’s-50’s with a considerable presence and substance. We’re not sure if this is hollow form shank or a greater thickness of silver but the shank certainly has some heft.
The bracelet is most beautifully decorated with two parallel sections of three chiseled lines on wither side of
a central panel of opposed crescent-shaped stampwork designs.
The bracelet measures a good-sized 1 1/2” in continuous width all the way around. The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 3/8”, the gap between the terminals is 1 1/8”, the total interior circumference of 6 1/2” and it weighs a quite substantial yet very comfortable 102 grams or 3 5/8 ounces. The bracelet is in generally excellent condition overall, the bracelet’s shape is very slightly out of round and the terminals are very slightly misaligned which is of no real consequence. This is a funky, slightly chunky monkey which makes a fairly powerful and distinctive fashion statement, not necessarily one for the faint of heart.
Price $1,550
Bracelet Number 9
This “UITA24” hallmarked bracelet is a very striking and historic piece dating from the 1930’s or 1940’s. It was made and certified under the auspices of the renowned United Indian Traders of America (UITA) organization for an unknown member trading post. UITA’s records were lost in a fire at their headquarters in Gallup, NM so we will likely never know which particular trading post this piece was made for but they were all good as UITA’s members were a veritable “who’s who” of the finest Indian Traders and Trading Posts of their time. UITA’s hallmark was a guarantee of superior quality then and it is even more so now. This particularly attractive piece has a continuous series of chiseled and filed diagonal ridged designs all the way around its silver shank.
The bracelet measures 3/4” in continuous width all the way around. The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 5/8”, the gap between the terminals is 1”, the total interior circumference is 6 5/8” and the bracelet weighs a completely comfortable 49 grams or 1 3/4 ounces. It is properly hallmarked “UITA24” and it is also marked “Sterling”. The bracelet is in excellent original vintage condition. This is a remarkably beautiful and historically significant piece.
Price $1,750
Bracelet Number 10
This is a beautifully stamped ridge style bracelet, c. 1930-40’s with a continuous series of parallel ridges running the length of the silver shank. There is a lovely panel of very intricate and delicate stamp work designs with a slight Spanish stylistic influence in the bracelet’s center. The bracelet measures 1” in continuous width all the way around tapering to 5/8” width at the terminal ends. The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 5/16”,
the gap between the terminals is 15/16”, the total interior circumference is 6 1/4” and the bracelet weighs an easy to wear 48 grams or 1 3/4 ounces. The bracelet is in excellent original vintage condition. A very sweet perfectly-crafted piece.
Price $1,875
Bracelet Number 11
This is a beautifully decorated Revival-style piece, c. mid-1940’s to mid-1950’s. The stamp work designs are very richly-done and perfectly executed in double rows of continuous opposed arc designs accentuated by a raised chisel worked central panel and outlined by repeating small arc deigns along both borders. The bracelet measures 1 7/16” in continuous width all the way around. The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 5/16”, the gap between the terminals is 1 3/16”, the total interior circumference is 6 1/2”and the bracelet weighs a very wearable 59 grams or 2 1/8 ounces. The bracelet is unsigned and it is in excellent original vintage condition.
This is a very attractive and finely done mid 20th Century interpretation and presentation of a much earlier turn-of-the-Century style of bracelet.
Price $1,650
Bracelet Number 12
This one is a real historic beauty from around the 1940’s marked “Indian Handmade Sterling” which is a quality mark which was used by various Indian Trading posts around the Southwest from about the 1930’s through the 1950’s to denote both authenticity and a higher quality of material. The bracelet has a series of four beautifully chiseled “X” designs all the way around the shank. The bracelet measures 9/16” in continuous width all the way around. The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 1/2”, the gap between the terminals is 1 1/16”, the total interior circumference is 6 9/16”and it weighs 29 grams or 1 ounce. The bracelet is in excellent original vintage condition. One of the deeper decorative chisel strikes has almost penetrated the silver shank and can be seen and felt on the interior of the bracelet but there is no break in the surface or crack in evidence and the shank is stable. This is a strikingly attractive and easy to wear piece, the type that could easily become your “go-to.”
Price $1,150
SOLD
Bracelet Number 13
Another very nice “ridge” style bracelet, c. 1950’s, this piece is attractively divided into five chisel, file and stamp worked decorative panels all along the length of the silver shank. The inner three panels contain the intricate stamped deigns while the outer two panels are plain polished silver which nicely frame and enhance the inner designs. The bracelet measures 1 1/4” in continuous width all the way around tapering to 3/4” width at the very terminal ends. The inner circumference end-to-end is 5 3/8”, the gap between the terminals is 1 3/8”, the total interior circumference is 6 3/4” and the bracelet weighs a comfortable 55 grams or 1 7/8 ounces. The bracelet is unsigned and in excellent original vintage condition. All in, this is a great-looking and easy to wear stylish piece.
Price $1,250