J1086 Lester James
Tufa cast sterling silver cuff by award winning Navajo silversmith and lapidary artist Lester James. The 1 ¼” cuff has an inlay Sun sign on a band of turquoise, coral, spiney oyster and veracite stones. The cuff is 5” inside with a 1 ¼” gap.
Lester is known for his inlayed pictorial Navajo scenes. He uses only the finest natural stones.
Tufa casting is a technique of pouring molten silver into a tufa stone mold and letting it harden into a given form. The mold is only used once; therefore each item is an original piece.
About the artist
Lester James
Lester James learned the basics of silverwork (soldering and buffing) from his aunt who did silver beadwork. She paid him well for helping her.
When he graduated high school, the Nugget Gallery hired him and that was where he would learn inlaying. When he was hired at the Nugget Gallery, Ervin Tsosie, Wilbert Manning and his brother Wilson Manning were working there. Lester watched them and would practice inlaying at home. Eventually, he started getting a few pieces to inlay at work.
Another silversmith at the Nugget, Herman Hoskie, would also give him advice.
After ten years at the Gallery, Lester decided to go out on his own. He met Aaron Anderson in 2009 and started working in his shop. It was Aaron who taught him the art of tufa casting.
Lester has collaborated with Melvin Francis, Aaron Anderson and other prominent silversmiths.
Awards include:
2012 first place at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial.
2013 Honorable Mention for an inlay bracelet at the Navajo Nation Fair.
2016 Gallup Intertribal Indian Ceremonial: 1st place Jewelry
