Navajo
American Southwest
1960
Sterling silver and natural turquoise
Length 22 in / 56 cm
Naja 3 in / 7.6 cm
Provenance: Private collection, Santa Fe, New Mexico
This Navajo necklace frames each oval turquoise in a silver bezel outlined with twisted wire and bordered by fine silver droplets. Silver squash blossom drops run between the stations along a strand of round silver beads, leading to a crescent naja at the center front. The naja carries the same twisted wire and droplet framing around its turquoise, tying the pendant to the blossoms.
The applied wirework and silver beading give the settings more detail than a plain bezel, a decorative approach common in mid twentieth century Navajo work. The naja descends from Moorish metalwork and entered Navajo silver as both ornament and protective motif, here worked to match the framed blossoms. At 22 inches the necklace is a wearable length, its turquoise set off by the silver detailing around each stone.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Navajo
American Southwest
1960
Sterling silver and natural turquoise
Length 22 in / 56 cm
Naja 3 in / 7.6 cm
Provenance: Private collection, Santa Fe, New Mexico
This Navajo necklace frames each oval turquoise in a silver bezel outlined with twisted wire and bordered by fine silver droplets. Silver squash blossom drops run between the stations along a strand of round silver beads, leading to a crescent naja at the center front. The naja carries the same twisted wire and droplet framing around its turquoise, tying the pendant to the blossoms.
The applied wirework and silver beading give the settings more detail than a plain bezel, a decorative approach common in mid twentieth century Navajo work. The naja descends from Moorish metalwork and entered Navajo silver as both ornament and protective motif, here worked to match the framed blossoms. At 22 inches the necklace is a wearable length, its turquoise set off by the silver detailing around each stone.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
