Alvin Thompson Sterling Silver Navajo Ring
$89.00
Out of stock
Additional information
| Weight | 0.2 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 0.75 × 0.563 × 0.75 in |
Details
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Turquoise jewelry can be dated as far back as 8800 BC. Paleo-Indians in the American Southwest drilled and shaped stones for jewelry using Turquoise as the main material. Thousands of pieces were found in Ancestral Pueblo sites at Chaco Canyon.
For the Native American culture, Turquoise signified water and sky, for bountiful harvests, health and protection according to Maxine McBrinn, Curator of Archeology at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. Blue-green symbolizes creation and the hope for security and beauty.
For the Native American Navajo tribe, the color turquoise represents happiness, luck and health. (The History of Navajo Turquoise)
The Native American tribes also used turquoise as a means of personal adornment and to visually showcase their individuality, rank and history. (History of Jewelry)
As a birthstone for December, turquoise is regarded as a love charm. It is also a symbol of good fortune and success, and it is believed to relax the mind and to protect its wearer from harm. Turquoise rings, in particular, are thought to keep away evil spirits. (alamac.com/content/birthstones-and-their-meanings)
Joe Wilcox Indian Den has been a family owned business since 1990. Originally one of many, the first Joe Wilcox store opened in 1979 here in Sedona, Arizona. Joe Wilcox has been a trusted brand since 1979 and provides great quality at reasonable prices.
We carry only Authentic Native American Jewelry and do not purchase anything we know not to be Native American made. We have a love and appreciation for the Native American crafts and believe in supporting them. Imitation products only harm the Native American artist niche and retail stores alike.
Genuine Sterling Silver ring handcrafted by famed Native American Navajo artist Alvin Thompson features 3 wavy bars. Mr. Thompson is well known for his exquisite silver and gold jewelry which he expertly sand casts to produce his masterpieces. This authentic handmade sterling silver ring is an authentic piece of Navajo and Native American art and would make a great collectible gift to any Native American or Navajo sterling silver jewelry art collector.
(Born 1955, Navajo jeweler) “Alvin is a highly regarded silver and goldsmith who has perfected the art of sand casting to produce his work. Alvin comes from a family of silversmiths. He believes that the simplicity and versatility of sand casting helps influence the flow of the design process”. taken from Gregory Schaaf’s book “American Indian Jewelry III: M-Z.
A graduate of the Automotive Technology Vocational School and the University of Arizona, Thompson has won awards at Indian markets. His work is sold through the Thunder Eagle Native Art Gallery in Williams, AZ; the Heard Museum gift shop in Phoenix, AZ, and at the National Museum of the American Indian in New York City.
Alvin is a highly regarded Navajo silversmith who has perfected the art of ‘sand casting’ to produce exquisite pieces of work. He was born in Winslow Arizona but spent much of his younger life in Seba Dalkai area on the Navajo Reservation north of Winslow. Alvin’s talent is a family tradition, he learned sand casting from his sister. Alvin describes his work method as ‘unassisted hand-poured cast silver,’ a process that involves using a sand medium for mold into which the silver is poured. He ‘carves’ designs into the sand or creates impressions in the sand with patterns.
Alvin is number 5 out of 7 children in his family. His oldest sister Lula, who taught him the art of sand casting, was the major influence of his traditional jewelry. He currently works closely with his sisters Frida, Lucy, and Marie who also make sand-cast jewelry.
Alvin has 3 children of his own that are now in college or working professionally. They will not be following the family tradition of jewelry making as of yet, but as Alvin says “Anything is possible!”
Size: 9 1/2 – .75 ” H x .75 ” W
Artist: Alvin Thompson – Navajo
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