Designer Thomas Curtis & His Unique Native American Jewelry

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There is something about Native American jewelry that makes it enticing to behold and exciting to wear. If you are looking to invest in high-quality pieces for your collection, consider exploring the creations of reputable artists and designers like Thomas Curtis. His Native American jewelry is highly valued especially by avid and serious collectors. Thomas Curtis passed away in July 2013, and this turned his jewelry pieces into highly prized collectibles. They are harder to find these days, but you can still buy some of his creations from reputable jewelry stores specializing in carrying the finest Native American jewelry from many different artists.

Thomas Curtis is considered a top Navajo silversmith who has been a master in the art of silversmithing for more than five decades. By pursuing his art, he was able to achieve many accolades, including ‘Best in Class’ at the Santa Fe Indian Market in 1987. Likewise, he was featured by Arizona Highways in its May 2003 issue. He earned the 1985 Rocking Horse Ranch bench silversmith award in Flagstaff, too. When buying his pieces, make sure that they are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity that shows his name and tribal affiliation, the retail value of the jewelry, and the materials he used.

Native American jewelry is considered special and highly valuable because it is typically made by hand using traditional methods passed down from one generation to another. Thomas Curtis is no exception to making his unique Native American jewelry by hand. In fact, even his dye sets were handcrafted and he used them to stamp his silver pieces. Thomas used chisels to carve silver flawlessly and to create more intricate designs. His heavy-gauge silver pieces are prized by collectors of Native American jewelry who adore precise hand-carved details and skillful silverwork. You can notice his skill and precision on his heavy gauge sterling silver bracelet, which features a symmetry of deep and delicate stamp work.

The intricacy of details is among the most distinctive qualities of the Native American jewelry by Thomas Curtis. His heavy gauge sterling silver ring, for instance, features a deeply stamped detail prior to being filled. He called the ring ‘tire tracks’, and it is notable for the seamless reverse stamping, which resulted in a complex interweaving pattern. The ring was one of his last creations before his untimely demise.

About the Company:

Turquoise Direct is one of the most prominent sellers of authentic handmade turquoise jewelry, designed by award winning Native American artists, including Julian Lovato, Harry H. Begay, Arland Ben, Aaron Anderson, Al Joe, Thomas Jim, Tommy Jackson, Calvin Martinez and many others who place only the finest natural American turquoise in beautiful contemporary and traditional silver and gold jewelry.  With an amazing selection of collectible Native American jewelry from bracelets to earrings, necklaces, and rings to buckles and bolos by some of the most collectible and highly esteemed Native American artists in the Southwest, Turquoise Direct is the place to go for the finest online experience on the web.