Every so often, when Laurie is away supporting Grandma
Washburn or visiting family overnight, I leave for Bluff before dawn. I enjoy
the early morning drive down the hill from Blanding and can get some
research or writing done before the cafe and trading post open for the day. On
a recent morning, I decided to look in on websites similar to our own and
compare notes. I also enjoy checking auction sites to see if anything unusual
pops up. So it was that I found myself viewing historical Navajo jewelry
hammered out of old Spanish and American coins. There were several great design
ideas from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, lots of Fred Harvey jewelry, and
some fabulous creations from contemporary jewelers. Before long I wandered into
a section focusing on medals and medallions and stumbled upon a reference to a
1972 Franklin Mint book and coin set featuring Navajo people. Beginning a
search, I soon found the set on one of the auction sites. I had an idea
brewing, so I placed a bid.
Our parents, aka Papa Duke and Momma Rosa, brought us
up in the small town of Bluff. As I have often proclaimed, my brothers, sisters,
and I were raised among the Mormons, Indians, and Outlaws of southern San Juan
County. Most often we were identified with the latter group, and rightfully so.
As we ran barefoot through the graveled streets and Goathead stickers,
we frequently came into contact with Native people dressed in satin
and velveteen. The jewelry they adorned themselves with consisted of sky stone,
silver and coin buttons. Silver dollars could often be seen set in massive
bracelets, broaches, and necklaces, with the coins surrounded by turquoise in
numerous shades of blue and green. Silver dimes adorned collar tips, ran down
the fronts of brightly colored blouses, and encircled big, black, high-domed
felt hats.
Dad ran a small gas station at the mouth of Cow Canyon, at
what is now the intersection of highways 191 and 162. Duke would trade gas
and oil for rugs, baskets, and jewelry that the local Navajo and Ute people
created. The idea was to sell or make a trade with the meager flow of tourists
who stopped in. From Bluff we moved to Livermore, California, for a couple
years, then back to Blanding. With the help of a small inheritance Rose
received from her parents, our folks leased the Plateau gas station and put in
a second-hand store next door. From there we built the Blue
Mountain Trading Post south of Blanding, then the Bluff
City Trading Post in Bluff, which many years later morphed into Twin
Rocks Trading Post and Cafe. All the while, Native American arts and crafts
were a common denominator in our lives and businesses. Our family became quite
familiar with hand-spun rugs enhanced by a rich earthy, campfire aroma; the
woven texture and unique designs of baskets; and the soft, warm glow of
sterling silver resplendently set with bright spots of turquoise and coral.
I ordered the Franklin Mint medallion and within the week I
had it in my grasp and it was a beauty. It depicted a traditionally dressed
Navajo rug weaver sitting at her loom. At her hip are tools of the trade: carding
combs, balls of wool yarn, and a cluster of stiff grass stalks used as a hair
brush. The weaver is belted by silver conchos and appears to be perched on a
sheep skin. Beside her, sitting on his haunches and drinking coffee from
a porcelain mug, is a Navajo man wearing a concho belt of his
own, moccasins and a bandana headband. The couple both wear their hair tied up
in a traditional bun. Yucca and sage are dispersed about the pair, and over
their shoulders the Totem Pole rock of Monument Valley can be seen in the
distance. Around the border of the coin are letters that spell out "Sovereign
Nation of the Navajo Tribe." On the reverse side of the medallion is the
Great Seal of the Navajo Nation which consists of a circle of fifty arrowheads
and a guardian rainbow. The sun shines down upon the Four Sacred Mountains, a
horse, a cow, and a sheep. Two corn stalks underscore the livestock.
With the threads of my prepossessing past in mind and the
medallion in my hand, I worked on developing a bolo tie design. I sorted
through our box of turquoise cabochons and rediscovered numerous small dots and
tear drops of Kingman turquoise. I recalled a design Leo Harvey of Lucachuki,
Arizona, once produced with inlays of turquoise and coral depicting a Blue Jay
on one side of white shell and on the other a Cardinal. Leo would create the
delicate inset cameo, then wrap it in silver and place it on a spinner within a
cluster-style bracelet or necklace. The effect was stunning, effectively
allowing the impression of two pieces of jewelry in one. I spoke with Steve and
Rick about the idea and we agreed to have Ben Yazzie, Jr., and his wife Katie
do the job. Because Ben is such a creative and talented silversmith and Katie
does the fine-finish detail, we left the technicalities to them. Steve and
I learned long ago that it is best not to dictate specifics to artists; they
are much more familiar with their strengths and can better affect a quality
outcome. This approach seldom goes wrong.
Two weeks later Ben and Katie proudly strode into Twin Rocks
with the bolo tie. It was better than I imagined! Ben had come up with an open
scalloped pattern around the turquoise, added silver bolsters halfway down the
leather cord and hand-fashioned, stamped, and carved end caps. Steve and I
thanked the couple profusely and gladly paid them for their efforts. For
posterity, Rick photographed Ben with the bolo. Because we were so pleased with
the outcome of the neckpiece, we sent the couple home with more turquoise and a
few ideas for future projects. Rick suggested we send images of the piece to a
friend/collector of unique bolo ties. I wanted to hold onto it for a while, if
only to admire the beauty of the finished product. Steve and Rick were,
however, worried I might decide to keep the bolo for myself, so they talked me
into sending off images to the client to tempt his passion.
Wouldn’t you know it; within ten minutes Keith called back and said he
definitely wanted the piece. Dang it! Oh well, I guess that’s why we’re in
business. The bolo is in a good place with many other exceptional works of art.
In the future, I will exclude Steve and Rick from the process, so I have a
little more time to appreciate whatever comes next.
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