Antique Navajo Sterling Silver Turquoise Cross Pendant — 10-Stone, 1920s–30s View Watchlist >
- Winning Bid: $160.00
- 43 Bid(s) View Bid History
- High Bidder: Catcall5
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Lot # JD152
System ID # 27740611
Start Date
End Date
7 Watching
Antique Navajo Sterling Silver Turquoise Cross Pendant — 10-Stone, 1920s–30s
This hand-fabricated cross pendant is a textbook example of early Navajo silverwork from the 1920s to 1930s — a period when commercial turquoise mining first made it possible for smiths to combine multiple stones on a single piece, and when the craft was still entirely hand-driven, worked over open fires with handmade tools.
Ten natural turquoise stones are set in individually hand-crimped bezels, each collar worked directly onto the silver to secure the stone — a technique that requires skill and patience, and one that distinguishes hand-made early work from the machine-assisted production that followed. Silver ball accents punctuate the settings along the arms and shaft of the cross, adding texture and dimension in the classic Navajo manner. The stones themselves range from sky blue to blue-green, varied in the way only natural, unenhanced turquoise from this era can be — selected and matched as closely as the available material allowed, which is part of what makes the piece read as coherent and intentional rather than improvised.
The reverse shows copper-toned solder at the joints — fire solder, the standard joining material of early Navajo bench work, not an indication of base metal construction. The body tests to sterling. A simple round-wire bail at the top completes the piece, adjustable to accept a range of cord or chain diameters.
No hallmark is present, which is entirely consistent with pre-WWII Navajo silverwork — formal marking conventions were not standard practice until the mid-20th century. This is a genuine early piece, unrestored and in found condition.
CONDITION
Good for age. All ten stones are secure in their crimped settings. The silver carries an honest, deep patina consistent with its age — surface wear and fine scratching throughout, as expected. Copper-based fire solder is visible on the reverse at the construction joints, consistent with period Navajo silverwork technique and visible in photos. No missing stones, no cracks, no repairs. Polishing is left to the new owner; the patina is original and part of the piece's authenticity.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Material | Sterling Silver (Unmarked, Tested), Natural Turquoise |
| Stones | 10 Hand-Crimped Bezel-Set Turquoise |
| Avg. Stone Size | 6.47 mm × 5.44 mm |
| Weight | 13.8 grams |
| Overall | 2.89" × 1.64" × 0.27" |
| Bail Opening | 4.10 mm (Adjustable) |
| Hallmark | None (Consistent with Pre-WWII Navajo Work) |
| Attribution | Navajo, Circa 1920s–1930s |
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Please Note:
- Diamond and gemstone weights, colors, and clarity grades are approximate and determined while mounted.
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