Larry Moses Begay LMB Navajo Sterling Turquoise Cluster Earrings View Watchlist >
- Winning Bid: $420.00
- 49 Bid(s) View Bid History
- High Bidder: JVigil34
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Lot # JD138
System ID # 27717395
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End Date
12 Watching
Larry Moses Begay LMB Navajo Sterling Turquoise Cluster Earrings
Larry Moses Begay was born into silversmithing. A Diné artist from Lukachukai, Navajo Nation, he is the grandson of Marie Begay and son of Rena Begay — a family whose relationship with the craft spans generations. Begay began working silver in the late 1980s and went on to exhibit at Santa Fe Indian Market and the Northern Indian Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show. Cluster work became his métier, and it is in that tradition that these earrings stand as a particularly strong example of his mature hand.
Each earring presents 37 individually set pear-shape cabochons arranged in concentric rows that radiate outward from a single central stone. The composition follows the classic Navajo cluster format — stones selected and cut to graduate in size, fitted into hand-applied serrated bezels, and organized by rings of twisted rope wire that give the face of each earring its architectural rhythm. The outer border is finished with a scalloped edge and punctuated by small silver bead terminals. The silver throughout has developed a rich oxidized patina, dark and even, which serves the design well — the contrast it creates with the stones is not incidental but essential to the visual language of this work.
The turquoise merits attention. The stones range from a soft celadon to a clear apple-green, with warm amber and sienna matrix threading through many of them in patterns that confirm their natural, untreated character. The color profile is consistent with turquoise from Nevada mining districts prized for exactly this palette. No two stones are identical, and that individuality — evident across all 74 cabochons in the pair — speaks to the care taken in their selection.
Both earrings are stamped LMB STERLING on the reverse. Post findings with butterfly backs.
CONDITION
Good. All stones are secure in their settings. The oxidized patina is intact and even throughout. Minor wear to the silver backs is consistent with age and does not affect presentation. Polishing is left to the buyer's discretion — the current patina is period-appropriate and serves the piece.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Artist | Larry Moses Begay |
| Tribe | Diné (Navajo Nation) |
| Hallmark | LMB STERLING |
| Material | Sterling silver, natural turquoise |
| Stone count | 37 bezel-set pear-shape cabochons per earring |
| Center stone | 10.61 mm × 5.09 mm |
| Outer stones | 9.64 mm × 3.50 mm |
| Turquoise | Apple-green with amber matrix; consistent with Nevada origin |
| Findings | Post with butterfly back (pierced ears) |
| Each earring | 1.87" × 1.66" × 0.17" |
| Pair weight | 25.3 grams |
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Please Note:
- Diamond and gemstone weights, colors, and clarity grades are approximate and determined while mounted.
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