Al Nez — Navajo Silversmith
Al Nez works in tufa casting. Nancy N. Schiffer's Turquoise Jewelry shows a bead and pendant necklace set with Tibetan turquoise and a cuff bracelet set with Chinese turquoise, "both by Al Nez, Navajo, circa 1980s" (Schiffer 2008, p. 14), and Lois Essary Jacka's Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone shows his tufa-cast work (Jacka 1995, p. 106).
Theda Bassman's The Beauty of Navajo Jewelry shows a stamped pot with an oxblood coral stone that he made (Bassman 1997, p. 22). Bille Hougart's Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks lists him as "Al Nez (1959-; Navajo)," active since the 1970s, working in tufa casting, chisel work, shadowbox and stone sets in silver and gold, and records him as a "1991 Inter-Tribal Ceremonial winner. Multiple award winner" (Hougart 2022, p. 226).
His hallmark
Hougart gives his mark as "AL NEZ" (Hougart 2022, p. 226). Ned Nez, born the same year, marks "N. NEZ" (Hougart 2022, p. 228); the two are different smiths.
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References
- Schiffer, Nancy N. Turquoise Jewelry. Revised 4th edition. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2008.
- Jacka, Lois Essary. Navajo Jewelry: A Legacy of Silver and Stone. Photographs by Jerry Jacka. Flagstaff: Northland Publishing, 1995.
- Bassman, Theda. The Beauty of Navajo Jewelry. Photography by Gene Balzer. Walnut, California: Kiva Publishing, 1997.
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds and Traders. 5th edition. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
- Schaaf, Gregory, with Angie Yan Schaaf. American Indian Jewelry I: 1,200 Artist Biographies, ca. 1800-present. American Indian Art Series, Vol. 5. Santa Fe: CIAC Press, 2003. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2003.
From the Library: Schaaf, American Indian Jewelry I (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
Schaaf (2003) recorded his mark:
“Al Nez (stamps Al Nez, first used in 1982)”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 245 [5]
Schaaf (2003, p. 245) recorded Al Nez as Navajo, active from the 1970s in gold and silver sandcast, tufacast, filework, shadowbox and set stone jewelry, a brother of Kee Nez and Gibson Nez, taught by his grandfather, with Best Tufacast at the 1991 Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup and Best of Miniatures at Indian Market. [5]
Schaaf (2003, p. 246) listed the Indian Arts and Crafts Board of the U.S. Department of the Interior among the collections holding his work. [5]
This profile is maintained in support of Native American silversmiths and compiled from published references. See something inaccurate, or want to add to it? Contact us.