Dig it - 12/4/23

Welcome back, Fellow Seekers, to one of my Award Winning Blogs! That’s right, I was Nominated and Won “The National Coprolite Award for the Best Informative, Semi Humorous Instagram/Facebook Expositions.” What a Life Affirming Honor! I’m going to have to up my game…

Today we will be looking at a Classic Navajo Triangular/Twisted wire bracelet. I think this type of bracelet started around 1900 and went into the 1940s, though maybe some were made as late as the 1950s. Harry P. Mera collected a number of this type of bracelet in the 1930s for the Laboratory of Anthropology, all of which have substantial wear indicating they had been worn awhile before they were collected. I believe this because most of these bracelets are pretty heavy, meaning they were primarily made for Native consumption. Tourist bracelets tend to be much lighter and less well made. This bracelet is a particularly beautiful example. The stones are professionally cut, possibly Persian, turquoise cabochons. Originally, they probably were a better color match, the softer stones turning greener.

I really like the serrated bezels and the long arrow stamps on the side. My guess is that this bracelet dates from 1910 to the 1920s, possibly into the 1930s. It is available for sale. It measures 5.5” from terminal to terminal with a 1.5” gap between terminals.

Help Old Lonesome celebrate his major award and purchase this beautiful bracelet.