{"product_id":"7-1-kirk-smith-navajo-deep-stamped-sterling-silver-turquoise-cuff-bracelet","title":"7.1\" Kirk Smith Navajo deep stamped sterling silver turquoise cuff bracelet","description":"All Cuff bracelets on the Estate Fresh Austin website will have the size wrist they fit (in inches) including the gap at the beginning of the title, there are also many photos in this listing which will show a tape measure inside the bracelet, gap size, width, etc.  The item should also be shown on a scale in the photos.  Hallmarks will be shown, if no attribution is made then please assume it was unresearched due to time limitations.     All items  that are over 40+ years old should have age appropriate wear, more recent items will be extremely clean with no hidden flaws or repairs.   The majority of our business on the (Estate Fresh Austin website) is to high end galleries all over the world, so the items we sell are in gallery condition.  It is extremely common for 1970's and older Native American jewelry to have no markings whatsoever.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e7.1\" Kirk Smith Navajo deep stamped sterling silver turquoise cuff bracelet.   Tested and guaranteed solid sterling silver.    Circa last quarter of the 20th century.   Ultra high grade natural American turquoise, unknown mine but possibly Kingman.   This is a best of the best bracelet, a top example of Kirk Smith's work. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNative American jewelry artisan Kirk Smith, or Kiyaa Alani Shush Dine (his Dine tribe name, meaning “towering house bear people clan), created a long-lasting legacy in a tragically short life. His work is highly regarded for its quality craftsmanship and his use of stones of only the highest quality and richest coloring. Kirks pieces, primarily his concho belts for which he was best known, have long been coveted and collectible, with their value only increasing as a result of his unexpected, early death. His story is an interesting one.\u003cbr\u003eHIS LIFE: Kirk Smith first began working with silver at around age 7 in his grandfathers hidden workshop, that according to Smiths interview with Perry Null Trading, “you would not see it unless you knew it was there. His grandfather also made jewelry and Kirk used to aid him by first learning to run the bellow to heat the charcoal that would allow his grandfather to work with the silver at high temperatures, and then eventually began to work with beads and bracelets and necklaces himself. He later used these primitive skills to craft jewelry for his uncle, who would exchange clothes and shoes for his pieces. In 1972, Kirk struck out on his own, primarily working in silver cast work, until the price of silver went up in 1974 and he went to work doing different things like working in the mine or a refinery in Galveston. He returned to jewelry making in the early 1980s when his mother got sick and he desired to be nearer to her. Thats when his craft took a turn.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHIS MENTORS:\u003cbr\u003eOf course, his grandfather was his earliest influence, and perhaps the most profound on Kirk as a person, but when it comes to his craftsmanship, the game-changer for him was his brother-in-law. Kirks sister was married to an artisan named Harry Morgan, a well-known name in the world of Native American jewelry. Harry was known for his intricate stamp work and the way he would style his silver to give it an antique look, believing that overly polished silver hid the detailing and the beauty of a piece. It was Harry who really taught Kirk about design and style in terms of his craft.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHIS CRAFT:\u003cbr\u003eKirk is probably best known for his concho belts, like the one we found in Audreys closet, that we thought was too beautiful not to share with yall after being tucked away for too long. He was known for his unrelenting insistence on working his silver by hand, resulting in beautiful pieces of heavy silver and high-grade stones. In addition to concho belts, Kirk crafted gorgeous statement cuff bracelets with turquoise and red coral and some of the most striking blue lapis youve ever seen, as well as some rings, pendants, earrings, and even a few squash blossoms. As we mentioned, his work is highly collectible, not only because of its stunning beauty, but because sadly, there wont be any more made; Kirk was tragically killed in 2012.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHIS DEATH:\u003cbr\u003eOn September 17, 2012, Kirk was in an altercation in a parking lot with a young man whose truck had struck Kirks vehicle as the man was attempting to back into a parking spot. When the driver, who was intoxicated, tried to flee the scene, Kirk jumped onto the hood of the mans truck. When he was eventually unable to maintain his grip, Kirk was flung from the moving vehicle and suffered injuries which resulted in his death in an Albuquerque hospital a little while later. The driver did succeed in fleeing the scene, but eventually collided with another truck and a barrier on Interstate 25 and was apprehended after a violent struggle with police; he was found to have had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.16, twice the legal limit. Incredibly, the driver, who was 16 at the time, was only sentenced to 90 days in a treatment center and two years probation. As you might imagine, Kirks surviving family does not feel that justice was done in the wake of his death, but they are carrying on his legacy in a positive way despite the circumstances. \u003cbr\u003eListed with ExportYourStore.com","brand":"Estate Fresh Austin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51995348500696,"sku":"4543543543afbggs1a2sg","price":3450.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/6284\/7960\/files\/il_fullxfull.8262231750_su8v.jpg?v=1784267710","url":"https:\/\/estatefreshaustin.com\/zh-hans\/products\/7-1-kirk-smith-navajo-deep-stamped-sterling-silver-turquoise-cuff-bracelet","provider":"Estate Fresh Austin","version":"1.0","type":"link"}