NAVAJO STERLING SILVER & GOLDEN HILLS TURQUOISE BOLO TIE BY FREDDIE MALONEY

Navajo artist Freddie Maloney made this magnificent bolo out of sterling silver and Golden Hills Turquoise. Great design! Weighs 70 grams. Signed 2 1/2” x 3″ 46 1/2″ long with bolo strap & sterling silver tips Artist card included The Navajos began working with silver in the 19th century, and began making things like buckles, bridles, buttons, rings, canteens, hollow beads, earrings, crescent-shaped pendants (called “najas”), bracelets, crosses, powder chargers, tobacco canteens, and conchos (for belts). Their silversmithing skills has evolved and changed throughout the years, and in about 1880 Navajo silversmiths started to set turquoise in their silver work. Traditionally, Navajo artists worked with jewelry techniques like repousee and stamp work, but today they explored in other Native American jewelry making techniques like Zuni inlay work and Hopi overlay work.