Description: Vintage sterling silver bracelet circa 1974+ with inlaid spiny oyster shell polished and crafted to encrust its surface. It's engraved R.B. and Sterling on the inner. The inside of the cuff bracelet is 5 1/4 inches wide. The width of the empty space in the cuff is 3 1/2 inches wide. Suggested wrist size is smaller than 6 inches around. The bracelet is very rigid due to the inlay/ thick sterling and cannot be adjusted nor bent to make tighter. Richard Begay 1943-2013 was born in Navajoland, Arizona. He was of the Sugilite Tribe. Richard and Rita Begay, husband and wife, collaborated on their jewelry, stamping their work with "R B" and “Sterling”. Their work is discussed at length in Gregory Schaaf's book American Indian Jewelry I. The collections including their jewelry include the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC and the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. "Richard Begay is a master of mosaic, channel inlay and stamp work. He was perhaps the first to do "double layered inlay" and inlaid "storyteller" bracelets. . . "the perfect harmony of material and craft" was a comment made by Tom Chaney of Tanner Chaney Gallery about the work of these two fine jewelers. Richard’s desire early on was to make jewelry that was different. Throughout his art classes in school, he always wanted to create the perfect shape. His first career, however, took him into the Forest Industry. He soon realized that he wanted to follow the yearnings of his heart and create beautiful jewelry. He borrowed jewelry tools from his father-in-law and set to work, learning the demanding craft of silversmithing. Richard was immediately drawn to the intricate inlay work, for which he is known for. As he perfected his craft, Richard explored different techniques of inlaying. He was always searching for the best way, the most beautiful setting, the perfect harmony of material and craft. He also developed an eye for choosing the best stones for his inlay. Turquoise and coral are his favorite, but Richard used a wide variety of stones and shells, including malachite, spiny oyster, and pacific coral. Not limited to the usual in anything he did, he also inlaid opals, sugilite, lapis and other exotic stones into his award-winning pieces.
Price: 400 USD
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
End Time: 2025-01-25T23:15:44.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Origin: Sugilite Tribe Artisans
Provenance: Family
Tribal Affiliation: Navajo
Artisan: Richard and Rita Begay
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Culture: Native American: US
Handmade: Yes
California Prop 65 Warning: No
