The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-02-16

~ smith and other artisans is
showing no deterioration. In
fact those who are in q. position to
Judge state that some Of the modern
examples Of native silversmithing on
the Navajo reservation are superior in
every way to the best examples of ear
lier work of the redskinneG crafts
men Of the forge.
At the fourth annual fair Of Navajo
Indians, which was held recently.
there was a dazzling display OF this
native silyerware, showing the native
artists at their best. Probably $4,000
worth Of Navajo jewelry was on ex-
hibition, most Of it being made up In
purely native designs. The prize col
lection was the work of Chis-chE-le
(Curly Hair, a silversmith who lives
near the trading post OF Two Gray
Hills, fifty miles south OF Shiprock.
n. NJ. Chis-chil-le Is middle-aged
Indian, who has been a silversmith
since his youth. In fact his is fam
lily of silversmiths, the trade being
handed down from father to son. much
as trades are handed down in some
European communities.
Chis-chil-le, like other Navajo sill.
versmiths, uses only the crudest i'm
plements in making his silverware.
His forge is square of stones and
adobe, the center having a round de-
preston for fireplace. The smoke is
carried off and draft created by two
wooden tubes. covered with adobe to
keep from burning. walled to the rear
of the forge. His bellows is made or
sheepskin, and his anvil is hard
stone or a piece of iron. Any silver
smith who can get piece Of railroad
iron is looked upon with envy by his
fellow-craftsmen who must use FORCES
of cruder material. The crucibles for
melting silver are of hard clay, and
are generally about the size OF tum.
blers, with round bottoms. and with
curved rims provided with spouts for
pouring off the molten metal
The molds which ar. used by the
native silversmiths are generally cut
out Of hard sandstone, and are creased
with mutton tallow. Charcoal is used
for fuel. the Indians being very clever
at making it from juniper logs Gen.
orally the smiths blowpipe is piece
of hollow brass tubing. For polishing
he uses sandstone and ashes. and for
chasing and engraving unique designs
on the silverware he uses nothing
more than pocketknives, avis and
small files.
With such implements the Navajo
sjlversmith has been working for the
last sixty years, there being no record
of silversmithing In the tribe previous
to that date. The Indians do not care
for more elaborate implements but
cling to the tools with which they have
been familiar for years. The effects
they secure with these crude nipple
ments are nothing short Of amazing.
the chasing on some of the Navajo sill
verware being equal to the better
grade of work turned out of high.
grade jewelry establishments.
There is no reason to believe that
the Navajos learned silversmithing
from the early Spaniards, as many
people believe. The Spanish explorers
were inveterate keepers of diaries and
other records Nothing escaped their
observation. and If they had found
silversmiths among the Navajo tribe
at that time even more warlike than
the Apache-there is every reason to
believe that some record would have
been made of the fact. II is likely
that the craft was learned from the
Mexicans at later era, and 1t has
continued to grow in Importance until
ii rivals the Misunderstanding industry
for which the tribe has become world
famous.
While the blanket weaving is strict.
" a woman's occupation among the
Navajo people, silversmithing is kept
as strictly among the men. A woman
siivcrsmith has never been heard of
among the Navajos, nor is there any
record OF a male rug weaver. though
among the Hopis and other southwest
ern tribes, the men do most OF the
weaving.
The Navajo silversmiths do not use
silver bullion for their work. They
urefer silver coins. for the reason that
the mi,.>e silver has the right pro-
norton OF .slloy to make enduring or
naments Mexican dollars. which com
mand only their bullion value. are
gene. sjlr used. shese are melted
and run anto the various molds, and.
after a laborious process Of polishing
ard chasing. come out as snisbed or
nements.
The art OF the Navajo silversmitn Is
nowhere shown to better advantage
than Ia the manufacture of the silver
necklaces which are worn by men and
women and which form the most elab-
crate and costly pieces OF Navajo jew
elry. These necklaces consist OF beads
of silver, ranging from the size OK a
pea to globules an inch in diameter
The larger beads are finished with
pendant-like projections. cleverly
graduated as to size. The larger beads.
with these pendants, hang on the
breast. and generally very striking
effect is secured by alternating the
beads with turquoise or bits OF coral
The cost of such q necklace varies
according to the workmanship repre-
scrsad IN the beads and the value Of