6.25" UITA6 1930's Navajo ingot silver and turquoise cuff bracelet. Weight and measurements in pics.
Beginning in 1931, The United Indian Trader’s Association (UITA), a volunteer organization of leading Southwestern Indian traders, created and enforced a strict set of quality standards for the making and selling of Navajo and Pueblo jewelry in the trading posts of its various members. UITA’s distinctive hallmark of its initials UITA with an arrowhead in the middle followed by the numeric designation of the particular trading company it was made at or for was a guarantee of the highest quality Native jewelry; completely handmade using solely traditional methods of craftsmanship and use of only the finest, traditional materials. Since the UITA traders were the most important “Who’s-who” of their day they were well-equipped to set and enforce such high standards and as a result, the finest jewelry pieces made under UITA’s auspices are some of the very finest Navajo and Pueblo pieces of the 20th Century.
"The United Indian Traders Association (UITA) was established on September 13, 1931 for the expressed purpose of authentication of Indian crafts. At the time, the UITA was an important player both in Indian cultural life and in advocating for the sale of authentic Indian arts and crafts."
“UITA 6” was the numeric designation assigned to the historic and extremely remote Borrego Pass Trading Post, set in the high pinon-juniper studded hills about 50 miles south of Chaco Canyon in Northwestern New Mexico. The post first opened in 1927 and was named after the nearby Borrego Pass, an ancient water gap across the Continental Divide where Navajos used to drive their sheep. Borrego Pass Trading Post was operated by several highly influential prominent Indian traders over the next fifty-plus years, including Ben and Anna Harvey, Bill and Jean Cousins and Don and Fern Smouse. The Navajo know Borrego Pass in the Navajo language as “Tiish Bito” (Snake Spring) or “Dibe Yazhi Habitiin” meaning "Upward Path of the Lamb."
Don Smouse was the chief Judge for silversmithing for the Navajo Nation for a time and dealt with the highest quality turquoise from around the world. The Trading Post was Borrego Pass Trading Post along the continental divide just south and west of Crownpoint, New Mexico. The Smouse's were old time traders and at one point were the oldest living traders in the USA and were on the national news during the 90's for still trading the old way. Don helped train the top artists in the trade and sold there jewelry from the trading Post. They had buyers come from the Middle East, Europe and Asia for the top quality product being produced. The stamp is the Smouse traders stamp.
