$200 and above

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At a Glance

Design: Native American turquoise spider cuff bracelet with spider & raised web motif
Stone: Turquoise cabochon consistent with Kingman material
Color: Saturated blue turquoise with minimal tan-gray matrix and light pyrite
Accent: Dimensional spider motif with stampwork and chasing, large sawtooth bezel, rope frame, raised web wirework, and silver drop accents
Metal: .925 sterling silver (unmarked)
Attribution: Navajo spider detail with Anglo webbed shank
Era: 1970s
Status: Unsigned and unstamped turquoise spider cuff bracelet
Condition: Fine — see SCJ Vintage Condition Guide

Specifications:

• Wear scale: medium statement cuff with wide rectangular wrist coverage and dimensional spider-and-web presence
• Stone: 9/16 x "3/8 (bezel to bezel)
• Face width: 1 3/8"
• Inside length: 5 7/16" 
• Gap: 1 1/8"
• Total inside circumference: approx. 6 11/16" (M per SCJ size guide)
• Weight: 47.1 grams
  

Hallmark & Maker Notes:

This bracelet is unsigned and carries no visible sterling stamp. The Navajo attribution is based on the spider appliqué’s silver construction, including the stamped and chased detailing, dimensional body, and hand-fabricated elements around the turquoise setting.

The cuff body and raised webbed shank show Anglo influence and/or collaboration, as determined through SCJ’s professional evaluation process. This piece is therefore presented as a Navajo-Anglo turquoise spider cuff rather than a straightforward single-maker Navajo bracelet.

✨ Collector inquiries are welcome. SCJ is open to thoughtful questions, documented observations, and new information that deepens the story of a piece. With permission, selected comments from our Members may be featured in our upcoming Collectors Circle Insights publications.

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At a Glance

Design: Southwestern wide multi-row spiderweb turquoise cuff bracelet with heavy sterling construction, dark oxidized ground, and hand-stamped detail
Stone: Spiderweb turquoise with professional opinions split between Kingman and high-grade Hubei Province material
Color: Deep teal-blue turquoise with tight dark spiderweb matrix and pale host-rock accents; brighter blue tones are most visible in direct sunlight
Accent: Stamped borders, interior geometric stampwork, arrow stamps, pictorial terminal details, and single turquoise cabochons at each end of the shank
Metal: .925 sterling silver, unmarked
Artist: Greg Thorne | Anglo silversmith-confirmed through SCJ’s appraiser
Era: 1990s
Status: Unsigned artist-confirmed spiderweb turquoise sterling cuff; no visible sterling stamp
Condition: Very Fine — see SCJ Vintage Condition Guide

Specifications:

• Wear scale: large statement cuff with wide wrist coverage, substantial weight, and strong collector presence
• Stones: approx. 7/16" in diameter (bezel to bezel)
• Face width: 1 15/16"
• Inside length: 6" 
• Gap: 1 3/8"
• Total inside circumference: approx. 7 3/8" (L per SCJ size guide)
• Weight: 144.1 grams

Gallery Note: 

This Greg Thorne cuff has the presence of a serious collector piece: substantial in weight, broad across the wrist, and built with a dense multi-row arrangement that gives the bracelet a strong old-style Southwestern look. The dark oxidized ground deepens the overall tone, making the spiderweb turquoise read moodier in shade and indoor light, while direct sunlight brings forward brighter blue flashes within the teal matrix.

The interior stampwork adds one of the cuff’s most distinctive details. Rather than serving only as decoration, the hidden geometric pattern gives the piece a personal, maker-driven quality and reflects the kind of thoughtful construction that rewards close handling.

The turquoise is presented transparently. Professional opinions include Spiderweb Kingman and high-grade Hubei Province material, with recent expert review favoring Hubei based on the bracelet’s 1990s context, visual characteristics, and market history. Because no mine paperwork or laboratory report accompanies the cuff, SCJ presents the stone as high-grade spiderweb turquoise with open, evidence-led identification rather than a closed mine claim.

Hallmark & Maker Notes:

This cuff is unsigned and carries no visible sterling stamp. SCJ identifies the maker as Southwest artisan Greg Thorne through its professional evaluation process, including direct artist confirmation obtained through an SCJ consulting appraiser with established knowledge of Southwestern and Native American jewelry.

As part of that review, the consulting appraiser spoke directly with Greg Thorne regarding the cuff. Thorne recalled the bracelet, the cabochons he remembered as Kingman, and the hidden geometric stampwork on the interior. He described the interior design element as personally inspired by patterns he encountered during a trip to Mexico.

That specific recollection is especially meaningful because the interior stamping is not a generic surface detail; it is a maker-driven feature placed where it is primarily discovered through close handling. The detail supports the attribution while adding context that would not be visible from the unsigned exterior alone.

Greg Thorne is an Anglo silversmith known for work that draws on older Southwestern forms and traditional techniques he learned through exposure to Navajo and Pueblo artists. His pieces often appeal to collectors who appreciate substantial silver, strong stone presence, and the visual language of earlier Native American and Southwestern jewelry, while remaining clearly identified as Anglo Southwestern work rather than Native-made.

✨ Collector inquiries are welcome. SCJ is open to thoughtful questions, documented observations, and new information that deepens the story of a piece. With permission, selected comments from our Members may be featured in our upcoming Collectors Circle Insights publications.

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At a Glance:

Design: Navajo-attributed statement turquoise cuff bracelet with heavy-gauge sterling construction, split-shank form, and leaf motifs overlapping the stone
Stone: Large turquoise cabochon consistent with Kingman material
Color: Saturated blue turquoise with golden-brown matrix and natural green-gold movement
Accent: Chased leaf appliqués, rope border, and silver drop accents
Metal: .925 sterling silver (unmarked)
Attribution: Unsigned piece aligned with late-20th-century Navajo silverwork
Era: 1970s
Status: Unsigned and unstamped sterling turquoise cuff bracelet
Condition: Fine — see SCJ Vintage Condition Guide

Specifications:

• Wear scale: extra-large statement cuff with major wrist coverage and bold collector presence
• Turquoise: 3" x 2 1/2" (bezel to bezel)
• Face width: 3 3/8"
• Inside length: 6" 
• Gap: 1 9/16"
• Total inside circumference: approx. 7 9/16" (L per SCJ size guide)
• Weight: 161.7 grams
  

Gallery Note: 

This cuff is built around one undeniable feature: a massive, high-domed turquoise cabochon with the scale and color presence that stops a collector mid-scroll. The turquoise dominates the face, with its natural variation shifting between sky-blue, aqua, and green-gold across the surface.

The silverwork frames it without competing. A rope border traces the cabochon, chased leaf appliqués rise along the sides and partially overlap the turquoise, and silver drop accents give the design rhythm at key points — enough detail to hold the eye, not enough to pull it from the stone.

From the side, the architecture becomes clear: tall stone profile, open split-shank construction, and heavy-gauge silver supports that lift the face high above the wrist. The design carries the bold confidence of 1970s Navajo statement work, where stone scale, silver weight, and hand-formed construction did the talking.

At 161.7 grams, this bracelet makes its presence known. The openwork shank keeps it from reading as heavy despite the scale, but nothing here is understated. It is a piece built for the turquoise that anchors it.

Hallmark & Maker Notes:

This bracelet is unsigned and carries no visible sterling stamp. The Navajo attribution is based on the silver construction and overall late-20th-century Navajo design characteristics. 

✨ Collector inquiries are welcome. SCJ is open to thoughtful questions, documented observations, and new information that deepens the story of a piece. With permission, selected comments from our Members may be featured in our upcoming Collectors Circle Insights publications.

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At a Glance:

Design: Native American signed two-stone turquoise cuff bracelet with flower motif and strong sterling construction
Stone: Two visually matched turquoise cabochons consistent with Turquoise Mountain material
Color: Green-dominant spiderweb stones with vivid sky-blue tones near the bezels
Accent: Fully dimensional hand-fabricated flowers, chased leaves, curling wirework, and silver drops
Metal: .925 sterling silver
Artist: Signed MARCUS | Marcus Chavez, Navajo silversmith
Era: 1980s - 1990s
Status: Signed and sterling-marked Navajo turquoise cuff bracelet
Condition: Excellent — see SCJ Vintage Condition Guide

Specifications:

• Wear scale: large statement cuff with high-rise stone profile and sculptural wrist presence
• Largest turquoise: 1 5/8" × 1 3/8" (bezel to bezel)
• Face width: 2 1/2"
• Inside length: 5 3/4" 
• Gap: 1 1/4"
• Total inside circumference: 7" (L per SCJ size guide)
• Weight: 78.8 grams

Gallery Note: 

This cuff makes its first impression as a complete composition: high-domed turquoise, dimensional flowers, and open silver construction working in the same visual language. The cabochons bring saturated blue-green color and height, while the hand-fabricated flowers, chased leaves, and curling wirework give the bracelet a bright botanical character rather than simply serving as decoration.

The turquoise remains vivid in indoor light. The green areas deepen into rich forest and foliage tones, while clear sky-blue stays visible near the bezels and stone edges. In stronger light, the blue opens further across the surface, brightening the cabochons and giving the stones a livelier, more expansive presence. The two stones are visually matched not because they are identical, but because they move together in color, temperature, and overall character.

The construction supports that same sense of lift and openness. The high-set stones create the bracelet’s bold profile, but the open multi-band shank keeps the cuff from feeling dense or overbuilt. Leaves tuck beneath and around the cabochons, wire stems curve through the open framework, and silver drops add small points of brightness against the oxidized recesses. The silverwork is strong enough to carry the scale of the stones, yet open enough to let the floral design breathe.

The flowers are especially compelling. They are not flat stamped motifs, but built silver forms with raised petals, chased interior lines, rounded silver-shot centers, and leaves that curl away from the surface. Each element feels individually shaped, giving the cuff the presence of a sculptural floral piece rather than a standard two-stone bracelet with added ornament.

The result is a statement cuff with unusual balance: vivid turquoise, dimensional floral silverwork, and a construction that feels open, strong, and carefully composed. The stones draw the eye immediately, but the flowers and layered build reward closer study from every angle.

The turquoise is identified as consistent with Turquoise Mountain material based on visual and contextual assessment. No laboratory documentation accompanies the cuff, so SCJ presents the mine identification as an evidence-led working attribution rather than a provenance guarantee.

Hallmark & Maker Notes:

This bracelet is signed MARCUS and carries a sterling mark. SCJ identifies the maker as Marcus Chavez, a Navajo silversmith from Shiprock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation. Reference examples for Chavez more commonly show the fuller MARCUS C signature, while this cuff is stamped MARCUS only. Even so, the letter formation shows a notable visual relationship: the MARC portion rises slightly, while the U and S sit offset on a downward incline, a pattern also seen in Marcus Chavez reference marks. This supports presenting the bracelet under Marcus Chavez while noting the shortened hallmark.

Public retail references and comparable market examples show that pieces stamped MARCUS and MARCUS C share a related construction vocabulary, especially the pairing of large natural stones with hand-fabricated silver flowers and leaf forms. Current market examples also show Chavez working across a wide range of materials, including Royston District, Kingman, Bumble Bee, Wild Horse, and Rainbow moonstone, reinforcing the stone-forward character of his known work.

The silverwork on this bracelet is notably more dimensional and sculptural than many currently circulating pieces under the full Marcus Chavez hallmark, suggesting a more ambitious build — possibly an earlier or higher-grade example. SCJ presents the maker identification confidently in the listing while preserving the hallmark nuance here for transparency.

✨ Collector inquiries are welcome. SCJ is open to thoughtful questions, documented observations, and new information that deepens the story of a piece. With permission, selected comments from our Members may be featured in our upcoming Collectors Circle Insights publications.

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At a Glance:

Design: Native American signed three-panel turquoise cluster cuff bracelet with heavy sterling construction
Stone: Mixed turquoise cabochons consistent with Kingman and Morenci materials
Color: Blue and green turquoise palettes with tan and brown matrix, some with pyrite
Accent: Numerous snake-eye turquoise cabochons, a few silver drop accents, and rounded raised borders
Metal: .925 sterling silver
Artist: Signed D C | Navajo silversmith Delbert Chatter
Era: 1990s
Status: Signed Navajo turquoise cluster cuff bracelet with sterling mark
Condition: Fine — see SCJ Vintage Condition Guide

Specifications:

• Wear scale: extra-large statement cuff with wide wrist coverage
• Largest turquoise: 3/8" × 3/8" (bezel to bezel)
• Face width: 2 5/16"
• Inside length: 6 5/16" 
• Gap: 1 7/16"
• Total inside circumference: 7 3/4" (XL per SCJ size guide)
• Weight: 158.1 grams

Gallery Note:

This signed Delbert Chatter cuff carries the density, scale, and wrist presence collectors look for in substantial late-20th-century Navajo cluster work. The three-panel layout segments the mixed Kingman and Morenci turquoise into a deliberate, rhythmic composition, showcasing a palette that moves between vibrant blues and deep greens, laced with tan, brown, and occasional pyrite flashes. Larger center cabochons are balanced by tightly nested snake-eye accents and rounded raised borders that add texture to the design.

The construction is built for longevity. The heavy panels are anchored by a four-tine heavy-gauge shank, reinforced with hand-twisted silver rope through the center for structural integrity and visual depth. Two fine hairlines are present in the silver, but given the bracelet's sheer weight, gauge, and reinforced construction, they are not considered compromising to its integrity or functionality.

At 158.1 grams, this is a powerful statement cuff. Among other Delbert Chatter’s cluster work, this example reads as a more substantial, heavy-silver design, expected in a collector-grade Navajo cuff.

Hallmark & Maker Notes:

This bracelet is signed "D C" and bears a sterling mark. Reference materials associate this hallmark with Delbert Chatter, a Navajo silversmith associated with the Winslow, Arizona region, who specializes in high-density cluster work.

While public biographical information on Chatter remains limited, market records place his gallery and auction presence across the Southwest and California, with early pieces tracing back to the 1970s. This 1990s cuff stands as a prime example of his most substantial, heavy-silver period, combining masterly lapidary arrangement with an exceptionally robust hand-fabricated chassis.

✨ Collector inquiries are welcome. SCJ is open to thoughtful questions, documented observations, and new information that deepens the story of a piece. With permission, selected comments from our Members may be featured in our upcoming Collectors Circle Insights publications.

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At a Glance:

Design: Native American signed coral cluster bib necklace with articulated sterling silver construction and graceful upper-chest drape
Stone: Matched coral cabochons arranged in cross-form cluster stations
Color: Warm red-orange coral with an almost matte vintage finish, contrasted by oxidized sterling silver
Accent: Silver drop accents and open sterling connector links
Metal: .925 sterling silver
Artist: Signed H Ortega | Helen Ortega, Navajo silversmith
Era: Circa 1970s
Status: Signed vintage coral and sterling silver bib necklace
Condition: Very Fine — see SCJ Vintage Condition Guide

Specifications:

• Wear scale: princess bib — spans the upper chest
• Stones: approx. 5/8" x 1/4" (bezel to bezel)
• Pendant size: approx. 1" x 1"
• Round beads: approx. 8 mm
• Melon beads: approx. 13 x 5 mm
• Total length: 17 1/2" (including clasp)
• Clasp: hook-and-eye closure
• Weight: 75.4 grams

Gallery Note:

This Helen Ortega necklace features a striking articulated bib form, built from repeating cross-form coral cluster stations joined by open sterling links. Rather than presenting as a single pendant, the necklace spreads across the upper chest in a light, lace-like arrangement, giving the piece movement, drape, and a strong graphic silhouette.

The coral cabochons are closely matched in a warm red-orange hue, lending the piece a softened vintage character. Each cluster is set in sawtooth bezels against dark oxidized recesses, creating a vibrant contrast and making the coral read with greater depth and dimension.

The open connector work is an important part of the design. Diamond-shaped sterling links and slender bar elements give the bib flexibility, allowing the stations to articulate across the neckline instead of sitting as a rigid plate. Small silver drops add rhythm at the cluster edges, while the upper strand of round and melon beads gives the necklace structure without competing with the coral bib.

The result is a vintage coral statement necklace with unusual movement, balanced proportions, and lovely color harmony — a piece well suited to collectors drawn to signed Native American silverwork with warmth, graphic presence, and graceful wearability.

Hallmark & Maker Notes:

This necklace is signed H. Ortega. Public biographical information on Helen Ortega appears limited, so the listing focuses on the maker's mark, coral cluster construction, sterling silver beadwork, foxtail chain, hook-and-eye closure, and the circa-1970s character of the piece.

Helen Ortega was a Navajo silversmith active in the 1970s whose work most likely circulated regionally through trading posts and private buyers rather than galleries or shows — the path most working Navajo artists of her era traveled. She doesn't appear to have entered her pieces into juried museum competitions (such as the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial or the Heard Museum Guild Fair), missing the standard avenues that generated permanent biographical entries in reference texts like Hougart’s or Wright’s. 

Helen Ortega does not appear to be associated with the Ortega Indian Jewelry Store located in Gallup, New Mexico. Extensive research across hallmark databases, auction records, museum collections, and Native American jewelry archives yields no published biographical record, which is entirely typical of skilled craftspeople who let their work speak for itself. She is a marker of a tradition of quietly talented artisans whose names rarely made it into books but whose pieces endure. The script signature on this necklace — hand-engraved in her distinctive dotted cursive — is both her hallmark and her story.

✨ Collector inquiries are welcome. SCJ is open to thoughtful questions, documented observations, and new information that deepens the story of a piece. With permission, selected comments from our Members may be featured in our upcoming Collectors Circle Insights publications.

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At a Glance: 

Design: Signed vintage spiderweb turquoise and sterling silver bead necklace with bench-made beads, three suspended stone stations, and a tandem center drop
Stone: Spiderweb turquoise with professional opinions noting both Kingman and high-grade Hubei visual possibilities
Color: Perfectly matched saturated blue turquoise with reddish brown spiderweb matrix and darker host-rock movement
Accent: Heavy-gauge pendant settings with twisted wire borders, stamped side accents, and oxidized silver depth
Metal: .925 sterling silver
Artist: Signed BEN.S | Ben Sandoval, Navajo silversmith
Era: Late 20th century, most likely 1980s
Status: Signed turquoise and sterling silver statement necklace
Condition: Very Fine — see SCJ Vintage Condition Guide

Specifications: 

• Wear scale: princess-length statement necklace spanning the upper chest
• Largest stone: 1 1/2" (bezel to bezel)
• Center drop station: 4 3/4" (including bail)
• Side stations length range: 2 1/4" - 2 1/2"
• Beads: approx. 7 mm
• Total length: 17 3/4" (including clasp)
• Weight: 90.3 grams

Gallery Note:

This signed necklace is a serious turquoise statement piece: saturated blue spiderweb stones, heavy sterling pendant settings, and a strong bead construction that sits high across the chest. The design is built around three suspended turquoise stations, with the center pendant extending into a dramatic tandem drop that adds movement, length, and visual focus to the necklace.

The turquoise is the immediate draw. Each cabochon shows a vivid blue color moving through a reddish-brown spiderweb matrix, with darker host-rock passages that add depth and contrast. The stones have the kind of bold surface activity collectors look for in spiderweb turquoise, while the matching color family keeps the necklace cohesive rather than busy.

Sandoval’s silverwork gives the piece its structure. The pendant settings feature substantial bezels, twisted-wire borders, stamped side accents, and a dark oxidized ground that sharpens the blue of the stones. The bench-made sterling beads add weight and rhythm, shifting from a double-strand center section to a single strand toward the clasp for a balanced, wearable drape.

The turquoise is presented transparently. Professional review has produced two plausible readings: Kingman turquoise and high-grade Hubei Province material. Kingman was considered the more likely identification in one professional review, based on the necklace’s construction context and the understanding that Ben Sandoval is not known to work with imported material. Other turquoise specialists noted visual characteristics consistent with high-grade Hubei. Because no mine paperwork or laboratory report accompanies the necklace, SCJ presents the stones as high-grade spiderweb turquoise visually consistent with Kingman, with the Hubei comparison disclosed as part of an open, evidence-led identification.

Hallmark & Maker Notes:

Signed BEN.S / .925 — identified as a variation consistent with the documented BEN S. hallmark recorded in both Billie Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks and Barton Wright's Hallmarks of the Southwest. This piece is believed to be the work of Ben Sandoval, a Navajo silversmith documented in collector communities as a skilled production benchsmith who worked across multiple shops — a career path common among the craftsmen responsible for much of the finest mid-market Navajo silver of the 1980s.

During that decade, skilled Navajo artisans were working out of shops in Gallup and Albuquerque, supplying trading posts and gift stores across the country; trade schools were actively producing trained silversmiths, and the work was serious. The period also predates the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, which helps explain why talented production smiths like Sandoval built strong reputations through trade channels while leaving a limited institutional footprint.

A Native American jewelry specialist who consults with the Silver Cactus Jewelry team has reviewed the hallmark and construction, and the attribution is considered consistent with his known body of work. His pieces reflect a confident, experienced hand — heavy-gauge silver construction, strong chasing, and careful stone selection that speak to a craftsman who took his work seriously. The Sandoval name carries deep roots in the silversmithing community of Tohajiilee (Cañoncito), New Mexico, where multiple generations of the family worked in silver. Extensive research has yet to yield specific family ties or associations; BEN.S's work survives on its own merits.

✨ Collector inquiries are welcome. SCJ is open to thoughtful questions, documented observations, and new information that deepens the story of a piece. With permission, selected comments from our Members may be featured in our upcoming Collectors Circle Insights publications.

✨ Collectors Circle Members receive a welcome offer

At a Glance: 

Design: Vintage turquoise and sterling silver bead necklace with double-strand center, single-strand ends, and suspended center drop
Stone: Turquoise cabochons visually consistent with Fox material
Color: Saturated, darker green and teal tones with golden brown matrix and subtle blue-green highlights in stronger light
Accent: Rounded stone stations with twisted wire borders, and oxidized recesses
Metal: .925 sterling silver (unmarked)
Attribution: Design and construction consistent with Navajo work
Era: Circa 1970s
Status: Unmarked and unsigned vintage turquoise and sterling silver bead necklace
Condition: Very Fine — see SCJ Vintage Condition Guide

Specifications:

• Wear scale: statement choker sitting slightly above or at the collarbone on most wearers
• Largest stone: 1 1/2" (bezel to bezel)
• Center drop length: 2 3/4"
• Side stations length range: approx. 13/16" - 1"
• Beads: approx. 8 mm
• Total length: 16 1/2" including clasp; average neck sizes may benefit from a 2-3" extender for a more relaxed drape
• Weight: 88.7 grams

Gallery Note:

This necklace has a quieter kind of presence: dark green to deep teal turquoise, oxidized sterling, and a compact choker profile that feels substantial without becoming loud. The stones are not bright blue statement pieces — their appeal is more restrained, with saturated color, golden-brown matrix, and subtle teal highlights that reward close attention.

The composition is built around rhythm and weight. Seven turquoise stations crown the collar, framed by darkened silver and joined by a double strand of bench-made sterling beads. A suspended oval drop at the center adds movement and a clear focal point without breaking the choker silhouette.

Light changes the read. Indoors, the stones run deeper and more subdued, dark green and teal, carrying the eye from station to station. In stronger light, brighter blue-green flashes surface briefly — then the mood settles back, grounded and refined rather than bright or showy.

The silverwork holds that same character. Beads are visibly hand-assembled, with softened surfaces, seams, and oxidation that give the piece its vintage depth. Each station sits in a heavy frame with twisted wire borders and dark recesses — an old-style protected setting that feels hand-worked from every angle.

The turquoise is identified as visually consistent with Fox material based on color, matrix, and overall appearance. No laboratory documentation accompanies the necklace, and SCJ presents the identification as an evidence-led working attribution rather than a provenance guarantee.

Hallmark & Identification Notes:

This piece carries no maker's hallmark or sterling stamp. The construction speaks clearly — hand-built sterling beads, twisted wire borders, heavy stone stations, oxidized recesses, a wire hook clasp, and a double-strand center — all hallmarks of traditional Navajo silversmithing. SCJ describes the attribution through construction and design language, as is standard practice for unsigned vintage work.

✨ Collector inquiries are welcome. SCJ is open to thoughtful questions, documented observations, and new information that deepens the story of a piece. With permission, selected collector notes may be featured in our upcoming Collectors Circle Insights publications.

✨ Collectors Circle Members receive a welcome offer

At a Glance: 

Design: Native American turquoise cluster squash blossom necklace with bell-shaped blossoms
Stone: Natural turquoise snake-eye cabochons
Color: Polychrome turquoise in sky-blue, robin’s egg blue, and celadon greens
Accent: Distinctive bell-shaped blossoms with stones framing each opening
Metal: .925 sterling silver (unmarked)
Artist: Attributed to Bernard Bowekaty | Zuni artist
Era: Circa 1940s–1960s
Status: Unsigned and unstamped mid-century Zuni squash blossom necklace
Condition: Fine — see SCJ Vintage Condition Guide

Specifications: 

• Wear scale: opera length — rests at the bust on most wearers and spans the upper chest
  
• Naja: 2" x 1 7/8"
  
• Blossom length: approx. 1 1/4"
• Beads: approx. 6 mm, strung on double-wire 
• Total length (including clasp): 25" 
• Clasp: hook and eye
• Weight: 111.8 grams

Gallery Note:

This mid-century Zuni squash blossom necklace is built around finely arranged snake-eye cabochons. The varied turquoise palette gives the piece a subtle polychrome rhythm across the blossoms and naja, introducing beautiful tonal shifts without overwhelming the refined, delicate stonework.

The bell-shaped blossoms are central to the Bernard Bowekaty attribution, as they are a recognized signature design in his documented work. The sawtooth bezels, tight stone placement, balanced symmetry, and restrained sterling structure reinforce this association. The ensemble keeps the focus on the turquoise spread while highlighting the precision of traditional Zuni cluster work.

The traditional seamed, bench-made silver beads are individually formed, displaying the slight organic variation prized by collectors of vintage Native American jewelry. While the current double-wire stringing is period-appropriate, professional restringing on foxtail chain could be considered to give this 111.8-gram necklace a smoother drape on the chest.

Hallmark & Maker Notes:

This necklace is unsigned, which is common for Zuni work of this era. The attribution to Bernard Bowekaty rests on the distinctive, hand-fabricated bell-shaped blossom forms with tiny turquoise settings framing each opening — a design element closely associated with Bowekaty’s mid-century Zuni work and repeatedly seen in secondary-market and gallery-attributed examples of his squash blossom necklaces.

Bernard Bowekaty was a Zuni Pueblo jeweler and lapidary artist, identified in gallery and reference records as active during the mid-20th century. Published references record him as born around 1927 and passed before 1980, and note that one of his specialties was jewelry using snake-eye turquoise cabochons. Hallmark references associate his signed work with back-to-back BB initials, sometimes followed by ZUNI.

Although this necklace is unsigned, its visual and technical language is consistent with Bowekaty-attributed Zuni work: dense snake-eye turquoise settings, floral cluster stations, a turquoise-set naja, hand-strung silver beads, and the distinctive bell/cone blossom drops with small stones framing each opening. The piece reflects the refined lapidary balance and rhythmic stone placement associated with classic Zuni petit point and snake-eye cluster work.

Because no signature is present, SCJ presents the Bowekaty attribution as a researched visual and technical attribution rather than a signed artist identification. The necklace is best understood as an unsigned mid-century Zuni snake-eye turquoise squash blossom necklace attributed to Bernard Bowekaty on the strength of its bell-blossom construction, cluster layout, and documented stylistic parallels.

✨ Collector inquiries are welcome. SCJ is open to thoughtful questions, documented observations, and new information that deepens the story of a piece. With permission, selected collector notes may be featured in our upcoming Collectors Circle Insights publications.

✨ Collectors Circle Members receive a welcome offer

At a Glance

Design: Native American squash blossom necklace with five-stone naja, open four-petal blossoms, and deeply oxidized patina
Stone: Turquoise cabochons consistent with Persian material
Color: Sky-blue turquoise with brown spiderweb matrix
Accent: Rope-twist bezels, stamped leaf appliqués, and hand-formed blossom details
Metal: .925 sterling silver
Artist: Signed GV | Navajo silversmith under active research
Era: Circa 1970s
Status: Signed vintage statement necklace with hand-inscribed reverse signature
Condition: Very Fine — see SCJ Vintage Condition Guide

Specifications: 

• Wear scale: substantial opera-length necklace — rests below the bust on most wearers
• Largest turquoise: approx. 1" x 13/16" (bezel to bezel)
• Naja: 2 7/8" x 3"
  
• Blossom length range: 1 1/2" - 1 5/8"
• Bead form: traditional seamed bench-made Navajo silver beads strung on foxtail chain
• Bead diameter: 8–9 mm
• Total length: 30" (including clasp)
• Clasp: hook and eye
• Weight: 297.3 grams

Gallery Note:  

The visual success of this necklace begins with its turquoise. Sky-blue cabochons carrying rich brown matrix remain closely matched throughout the necklace, creating a cohesive presentation from the blossom stations to the five-stone naja. In large vintage squash blossoms, that degree of consistency is increasingly appreciated, as examples encountered on the secondary market often show more noticeable variation or later stone replacements.

The silverwork reflects the confident hand of an experienced bench jeweler. A high-arched, nearly enclosed naja lends the center a strong architectural presence, while deeply split four-petal blossoms introduce sculptural dimension and quietly recall earlier Navajo squash blossom design traditions. Restrained rope-twist bezels and stamped leaf appliqués establish a repeating visual rhythm that complements rather than competes with the turquoise.

Bench-made silver beads retain the subtle individuality expected of hand-fabricated work and are strung on traditional foxtail chain, a durable construction well suited to a necklace approaching 300 grams. The result is a substantial 1970s Navajo necklace with strong period presence, balanced composition, and carefully matched stones.

Hallmark & Maker Notes:

The naja is hand-inscribed "GV" on the reverse, scratched into the silver rather than die-stamped. The initials do not appear in available reference sources and remain under active research. The hand-inscribed nature of the mark is consistent with both engraved maker's signatures and pawn or ownership notations documented in this period, and the distinction cannot be confirmed without additional provenance.

The Navajo attribution and circa 1970s dating are supported by the necklace's overall construction, fabrication techniques, bead assembly, silver finishing, and design language, all of which are consistent with Navajo silverwork of the period.

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At a Glance:

Design: Native American signed spiderweb turquoise cluster cuff bracelet with polished heavy-gauge solid shank
Stone: Natural spiderweb turquoise consistent with Turquoise Mountain material
Color: Sky-blue and pale blue stones with green spots and dense brown and golden spiderweb matrix
Accent: Silver beads at the stone settings
Metal: .925 sterling silver
Artist: Signed M. Spencer | Navajo silversmith Mary Ann Spencer, Gallup, NM
Era: Late 20th century
Status: Signed Navajo turquoise cluster cuff and maker-labeled
Condition: Excellent — see SCJ Vintage Condition Guide

Specifications:

• Wear scale: medium-width cuff with substantial visual presence
• Largest turquoise: 3/4" × 9/16" (bezel to bezel)
• Face width: 1 9/16"
• Inside length: 5 7/8" 
• Gap: 1 1/2"
• Total inside circumference: 7 3/8" (L per SCJ size guide)
• Weight: 92 grams

Gallery Note:

Twelve natural spiderweb turquoise cabochons are set in two staggered rows across the center face — rounded ovals, elongated forms, and tighter cabochons positioned so the color and web pattern travel naturally from one stone to the next. The ground shifts from soft sky-blue to blue-green, with pale blue passages and green spotting laced by a fine web of golden to red-brown matrix. Each carries its own character; together they read as a carefully chosen suite.

Spiderweb patterning is among the most sought expressions of Turquoise Mountain material, and this cluster shows why — the webbing is fine, consistent, and distributed across stones of genuine visual range rather than selected for uniformity.

A polished heavy-gauge shank rises cleanly beneath the cluster, bright and substantial against the aged complexity of the turquoise. Silver beads punctuate the settings without crowding them, and the bezels are tight and even — the confident, finished presence collectors look for in Mary Ann Spencer's work.

Hallmark & Maker Notes:

The shank is stamped “M. SPENCER Sterling,” Mary Ann Spencer’s recognized hallmark. An accompanying adhesive label reading “MARY ANN SPENCER TURQ MNTN” identifies both the maker and the stated turquoise source. Turquoise Mountain is a trade name associated with material from the Kingman, Arizona region; in this listing, the stone attribution is supported by the accompanying label and the bracelet’s visual character rather than independent gemological verification. For a vintage or pre-loved piece, that kind of surviving material notation is a meaningful collector detail.

Spencer is a Navajo silversmith based in Gallup, New Mexico. Market and gallery biographies commonly note that she learned silversmithing at age 13 within a working artist community on the Navajo reservation. Her multi-stone cluster cuffs are among her most recognized and collected formats, and her work appears regularly in the Southwest gallery and trading-post market.

Collectors and dealers often associate Spencer’s work with heavy-gauge sterling construction, strong turquoise selection, and clean, confident fabrication. This cuff reflects those qualities through its substantial shank, even bezels, balanced stone placement, and polished finish.

✨ Collector inquiries are welcome. SCJ is open to thoughtful questions, documented observations, and new information that deepens the story of a piece. With permission, selected comments from our Members may be featured in our upcoming Collectors Circle Insights publications.

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At a Glance:

Design: Native American sterling silver Thunderbird sampler earrings with domed concho tops, two-part construction, and two distinct hand-stamped & chased drops
Metal: .925 sterling silver
Artist: Signed VJP | Vincent Joe Platero Sr., Navajo silversmith
Era: Contemporary — late 20th to early 21st century
Status: Signed Navajo silver earrings with distinct sampler-format Thunderbird designs
Condition: Fine — see SCJ Vintage Condition Guide

Specifications:

• Wear scale: lightweight, easy-moving, with noticeable graphic presence
• Total length: 2"
• Width: 1" 
• Closure: posts with clutch disc backs
• Weight: approx. 4.5 grams each

Gallery Note:

These signed Thunderbird earrings by Vincent Joe Platero Sr. center on one of the most enduring motifs in Southwestern silverwork. Platero gives the form a strong graphic read through silhouette, spacing, hand-cut stampwork, chasing, and oxidized recesses rather than stone or added ornament.

The pair has unusual collector interest because the Thunderbird drops are not identical. One is organized around a diamond-and-star center with sharper geometric structure, while the other opens from a sunburst motif with a more spacious radial layout. Together, they read as a compact sampler of Platero’s stampwork vocabulary, with each earring carrying its own handmade character.

The domed concho tops repeat the radiating language below, tying the upper and lower elements together with clarity. At 2" long and approx. 4.5 grams each, the earrings have enough presence to register clearly on the ear while remaining light, comfortable, and easy to wear.

Hallmark & Maker Notes:

The VJP hallmark is registered to Vincent Joe Platero Sr., a Navajo silversmith born in 1957 in Tohajiilee, New Mexico, and associated with the Edgewater and Black Streak Clans. Platero learned silversmithing from his mother, Helen Chavez, and is known for deep hand-cut stampwork, including the demanding practice of fabricating his own stamps.

His jewelry has received recognition at the New Mexico State Fair and the Denver Indian Market and has been carried by galleries across the country. This signed pair reflects the graphic clarity, visible handwork, and strong maker identity collectors look for in Platero silver.

✨ Collector inquiries are welcome. SCJ is open to thoughtful questions, documented observations, and new information that deepens the story of a piece. With permission, selected comments from our Members may be featured in our upcoming Collectors Circle Insights publications.