描述
6" Les Baker shop 14k gold/Sterling silver turquoise row cuff bracelet. Tested and guaranteed solid 14k gold side feathers, bezels, and accent beads, the rest solid sterling silver with weight and measurements in pictures. No metal purity markings. Circa third quarter of the 20th century with some expected age appropriate wear.
Bracelets are shown in the photos with a tape measure inside the bracelet, other photos will typically show the gap size. The size at the beginning of the title includes the gap. Almost all bracelets that don‘t have inlay work should be adjustable by at least .25", please refer to pictures for the gap size to see if it would work if slightly adjusted as the gap would change.
Les was born in 1935 and when he was older joined the Navy. He told me once that he lied about his age to get into the Navy and became one of the youngest Navy pilots ever. After the Korean War he headed back to New Mexico and became interested in American Indian jewelry. His wife at the time (ex-wife now) wanted a Navajo squash blossom necklace but Les couldn’t afford it. He was always resourceful and since Les didn’t have the money to purchase the squash blossom he figured he would try making one himself. It turned out so nice that when Les’ wife was at a party with Edith Maisel, the “Queen of Indian Jewelry” was so impressed that she offered Les a job. Maisel helped popularize “Indian Jewelry” and though it wasn’t actually handmade, Maisels’ offered many Native Americans a job and increased the awareness of this art form. This was Les’ big break and he later also learned from the great Native American artist Carl Louthy.
Eventually Les opened his own shop and was at the right time and the right place when the great “Indian Jewelry” boom in the 1970’s hit. Everybody wanted this turquoise Indian jewelry, from celebrities to the common man and woman. Les teamed up for a while with Bing Crosby (not the singer but the Indian Trader) and at one time had around 50 Native Americans working for him.
Les developed his signature look, the swirling free flowing scroll work with leaves and flowers which he used throughout his life. He was one of the first to incorporate gold and diamonds into “Indian Jewelry”. Even though he had his own signature “look”, he was an expert at many different styles and techniques.
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