The Best of FP

One of the finest and most admired Navajo silversmiths to ever swing a hammer was Fred Peshlakai, whose influence is still being felt to this very day.  The son of Slender Maker of Silver, he was the first Navajo smith known to highlight turquoise from the great American mines, and the earliest Navajo artist to regularly incorporate wirework and applique designs.  The quality of his stampwork has never been surpassed, and from a business standpoint he was one of the first Indian artists to open a shop of his own--in Los Angeles, no less.

His work is highly prized by collectors and museums alike, though in fact, his production was large.  His pieces are not rare to the market, actually.  What is rare is to find a piece that incorporates all the factors that make one of his superior pieces truly great: top-quality turquoise, perfect balance of design, and a proper hallmark.  (Many of his pieces do not have a hallmark.  Identification as his work is through careful study of the stamps used, materials contained within, and the design elements.  But that is an inexact science at best.)  When you find a piece that contains all the elements to be great, it is a good day indeed.  Here is our latest find from Fred Peshlakai, which certainly qualifies:

The first thing you notice about this bracelet is the wonderfully matrixed turquoise, which is almost certainly #8.  Peshlakai had a great preference for certain types of turquoise, especially #8, Lone Mountain and Blue Gem, much of which he procured from a trader named Doc Wilson.  Unusual for #8, the cabochon is domed.  The second thing is the applique work, including ropework, round wire and two wonderful repoussed hearts.  The straight lines of ropework at the top and bottom occur with some frequency in Peshlakai's work, and nowhere else.

The stampwork is clean and even, though not as complex as on some other Peshlakai pieces.  However this can be explained by looking at the very small surface area available for stampwork.  

And the final piece to the puzzle--the hallmark.  This bracelet has his F. P. hallmark, this time inside a cartouche.  It is hard to say exactly when this hallmark was used, but this bracelet likely dates to the early 1950s judging by the design and quality of turquoise.

This bracelet has an inside size of 5 5/8" with a 1 3/16" opening that can be adjusted, a width of 1 1/2", and a weight of 68 grams.  It is SOLD; email us or call (480) 423-8777 for details.  For more information on Peshlakai, you can consult Steven Curtis' book NAVAJO SILVERSMITH FRED PESHLAKAI: HIS LIFE AND ART.  And be sure to check the website for other examples of Peshlakai's work.