Oliver Smith

Designer of Indian jewelry

Silversmithing was introduced to the Navajo people in the early 19^th century by a Mexican silversmith who taught the craft to Atsidi Chon. By the middle of the century, Chon had mastered the art and introduced it to other Navajos.

The Navajo would find a stone that was just soft enough to carve their design into and would use this stone as a mold for casting the silver. In the beginning, tools were limited and many used awls to punch patterns into silver. As tools became more advanced, some Navajos took small pieces of iron such as nails, and filed designs to make their own stamps. These stamps or “dies” were based on the leather stamps that the Mexicans used on their leather.

One of our most versatile designers is Oliver Smith, who was reared in Canyon Diablo, Arizona on a huge Navajo reservation. He and his wife, Laverne, are in their forties and have a family of one daughter and three sons.

Oliver is a fourth generation metalsmith, having learned his craft from his father and grandfather. These beloved elders handed many of his tools down to him and these are very spiritual to Oliver. To create his own unique designs, he had made original stamps to add to the family collection. It is his fervent desire that his children carry on the tradition of jewelry making.

He specializes in traditional Navajo jewelry designs; however he’s not just limited to that. He, also, creates beautiful pieces using many different stones and metals while incorporating traditional with contemporary. We treasure his silver spurs, as do collectors from all over the world.

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