Description
8" Fritson Toledo Navajo for Les Baker (1935-2014) Sterling Overlay and stamped<br>bangle. 8" inside circumference, 1.25" wide.<br><br><br>Fritson Toledo has been metalsmithing for over forty years. Fritson is a Navajo<br>artist who has been working as a serious silversmith since he was a teenager.<br>New Mexico in September of 1961 to Mae and Chee Toledo, Fritson grew up in<br>Torreon, NM. Growing up in a farming community located in a valley framed by the<br>Jemez Mountains, he passed his time drawing. Although he comes from a family of<br>weavers, Fritson found his artistic voice at a very early age while observing<br>his father working in their home as a silversmith. Fritson then taught himself<br>the art of jewelry-making using his father’s tools on the pieces of scrap silver<br>he left behind. Fritson eventually learned how to make his own tools and stamps<br>for silversmithing. He has clearly become a jewelry master using only the<br>highest quality stones.<br>Les Baker (1935-2014), southwest artist from New Mexico, was born in 1935. Les<br>learned to silversmith in 1962 when his wife at the time wanted a squash blossom<br>necklace. Les could not afford to buy one for her so he went out and bought the<br>tools to do so. At a Christmas party, Mrs. Maisel asked where she got the<br>necklace and his told her that her husband made it. From there upon request from<br>Mrs. Maisel, Les went to work for the Maisels. Les has also worked for Carl<br>Louthy, Navajo. Over the years, he has had many silversmiths that have worked<br>for him such as Fritson Toledo, Johnny Watson and Harry Sandoval.<br><br><br>All precious metals are tested and guaranteed, any Native American jewelry<br>referred to as Silver or Sterling is guaranteed to be a minimum of 90% (coin)<br>silver and possibly higher content. Anything marked is guaranteed to be what<br>it's marked, most bracelets are photographed on a 6" wrist (non hairy), rings<br>photographed on the appropriate sized finger when possible. With bracelets if<br>the measurement is not given in the description then inside circumference is<br>shown where the metal meets the number on the the cloth tape measure.
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