Bracelet c. 1950

This bracelet was made by a Navajo artist, out of silver. You can see immediately that this is an object made from a precious material, but also one that is not particularly embellished. The linear pattern of the bracelet is made out of a number of different processes, from the casting of the silver, to the pulling of it into wire, to the wrapping of the central section. In its original context, an object like this would have been part of a wider economic ecosystem. Silverwork had long been a source of income for native artists, often sold to tourists. The Navajo are known for their skill at metalsmithing, and the bracelet reflects the adaptation and innovation of their time-honored techniques. It's a reminder that objects like this one are not just about aesthetics, but are deeply tied to labor, cultural exchange, and the resourcefulness of the maker.