Albert Payton — Navajo Silversmith Hallmark

Biography by Mateo James

Hallmark of Albert Payton (Navajo) — photographed by T.Skies

Albert Payton's hallmark as photographed on an authenticated piece. © Turquoise Skies Inc.

A Navajo silversmith with the mark "A. Payton (script)" is documented in Hougart in proximity to Ida Payton (also Navajo). The first name on the A. Payton entry is partially obscured by OCR damage in the digitized text, but the mark and working style are recorded.

The mark

"[First name unclear — possibly Albert] (Navajo). Stamp work; shadowbox; concho/concha belts. Mark: A. Payton (script)" — Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. (2022), p. ~244.

What is known

The Payton family is represented in Hougart by at least two individuals: the A. Payton entry (whose first name is obscured in the available digitized text) and Ida Payton (Navajo; stamp work; set stones; mark: Ida Payton script). Whether Albert Payton and the documented "A. Payton" are the same individual cannot be confirmed from available sources — the first name in the printed text was not recoverable from the OCR. The style description (stamp work, shadowbox, concha belts) is consistent with traditional Navajo silversmithing forms.

No entry for Albert Payton or A. Payton appears in Adair 1944, Rosnek & Stacey 1976, Bedinger 1973, or Schaaf 2003.

Know more about Albert Payton? Let us know.

References

  • Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. (2022), p. ~244.