Navajo Fred Harvey Turquoise Ingot Silver Bracelet 40.3 Gms 1940's Tucson Estate

  

From a Catalina Foothills estate in Tucson is this I believe 1940's or so Navajo ingot silver bracelet. The ornament is constructed of two outboard carinate bars and a central round one - the two outer at least hand fabricated with a draw plate.

Three (3) well patinated local lapidary turquoise stones are set to rectangular plates of the ingot metal, these struck up with stamp work imitating twisted wire and silver drop embellishment. The ornament is further blessed with semicircular end plates having well accomplished old style prepared stamp decoration. While likely offered right next to early (and more typical) so called Fred Harvey genre selections at some picturesque trading post rest stop in the hinterlands, this shows closer ties to a more traditional prewar tribal aesthetic. Put another way, it could have been traded straight from the wrist of a local standing outside. It weighs more than the usual visitor oriented Harvey effort, and has plenty of visual charisma to boot.

Cuffs like this one reflect the transition in fashion as good new roads finally opened up remote corners of the American Southwest for tourism - thank you Franklin D. Roosevelt (and of course the smith who crafted it). Weight is very good for the form at about 40.3 grams on my portable digital scale. Condition is quite good though not absolutely pristine perfect with a distinct aura of time to the surfaces.

Be aware I have avoided every urge to refresh away or improve' upon any natural toning - you want that done you do it. The turquoise shows tight worn over fractures from period wearing - a normal and now accepted consequence of age and circumstance with these, serving to validate the history. I'm nitpicking for the obsessive and a look at the pics should give a good idea of appearance and condition - a classic Depression era beauty that will look great worn about in Santa Fe or wherever you live. Inner circumference is about 5 3/8 in. Plus the 1 1/8 in. If you prefer historic Southwestern adornment for "the look", or simply wish a single immediate improvement to the ambiance of each day, this will have great meaning for you. Listing and template services provided by inkFrog.