Dig It - 1/26/26

Well Fellow Seekers, here is a treat. Here we have a late 19th-century Navajo ingot bracelet with clouds and arrows. This is one of the best bracelets I have ever had. Many people think that arrows on Navajo bracelets were a tourist gimmick, referring to the image of “Wild Indians." It certainly is a design/stamp that is found on pieces that were unquestionably made for the tourist trade. However, arrows, the symbol for a warrior and a good hunter, were used to decorate silver made for Native/Navajo consumption. They are often found on Ketohs or bow guards made almost solely for Native use.

I am interpreting the oval design made up of six crescent stamps as a cloud. Now here old Lonesome may be going out on a limb, but moisture for grass to feed Navajo livestock as well as corn, beans, and squash is also critical for their survival, so clouds are also important. That about wraps it up, Seekers. It is wonderful to see great things still come out on the market. All the best, Lonesome