Sandcast naja by Navajo silversmith Eugene Mitchell. The 2 3/8” x 2 1/4” sterling silver naja has a cross in the center. A shepherd’s hook is on the back.
Navajo silversmith Eugene Mitchell has been an active silversmith since the 1970’s.He works almost entirely in sandcasting.Mitchell creates traditional Navajo jewelry with a contemporary quality.
About the artist
E.S. Mitchell
Eugene Mitchell, more widely known as E.S. Mitchell (because of his hallmark), is a prolific silversmith who works almost exclusively in the technique of sandcasting. He has been active since the early 1970’s.
Unlike jewelry made with Sterling silver from a factory rolling mill, sandcast jewelry is made from poured molten silver cast in a tufa stone mold. It more closely resembles the hammered ingot jewelry of Harry Begay, but because it is not annealed multiple times like Harry's hammered ingot jewelry, it does not show as fine a grain to the silver.
Eugene produces traditional, classic sandcast naja pendants with the twist of having a Christian cross incorporated in the design. (Religious conversion came early to the Navajo, first from the Spanish and then a plethora of Protestant sects as well as Mormons and Seventh Day Adventists) descended on them once the U.S. reservation system was established. So, it is not uncommon to see Christian symbols mixed into the art of Navajo silverwork. Other jewelry pieces: squash blossom necklaces, buckles, bracelets and more. Eugene hallmarks his pieces ESMitchell (it is not uncommon for Eugene to fail to hallmark his pieces).
