Navajo and Silver

Susan in Wisconsin would like to know “How the Navajo silversmiths came upon the silver to do their work?”  The first Navajo silversmith thought to be Atsidi Sani (1830-1918) learned his craft in the mid 1800’s from Mexican blacksmiths who had been heavily influenced by the Spanish upon their arrival to the Southwest two hundred year before.  Atsidi Sani then shared his knowledge with his brother, Slender Maker of Silver and upon the return of the Navajo peoples from their internment at Bosque Redondo in 1868, the craft began to take hold.  The earliest sources of silver were the coins minted by the United States government,primarily silver dollars that contained a silver content of 98.5% with the remaining being a copper alloy.  These coins were more abundant to the Navajo peoples as they sold their wool, sheep and blankets to newly established trading posts in Arizona and New Mexico and received payment in silver coins.  It is said that the majority of these coins were turned into ingot by melting and then into jewelry including buttons, bandelier decorations, bracelets, earrings and necklaces.  During this period, the silver was much more valuable to the Navajo than the sheep, wool and blankets and soon became highly desirable.  In 1890, the United States Government made it illegal to deface their currencies and this source of silver became more difficult to obtain and melt down into ingot bars for silversmithing.   The Mexican Peso containing 99.5% silver soon took the place of the American coins.  Occasionally, one can tell the difference between the two sources as the US coins may have a bluish tinge.  By the 1920’s silver slugs are being produced in Los Angeles to supply the siversmiths and in the 1930’s sheet silver, which is more pliable and easier to work with is introduced to the Navajo and Pueblo artists of the Southwest.  For more information and Blog suggestions please contact us at don@chipetatrading.com