George Oliver Bennett — Silversmith
Hallmark documented in: Hougart, Schaaf (1200 Bios). Rendered from the documented mark, not a photograph.
Overview
George Oliver Bennett (born 1944) is a Havasupai/Navajo silversmith working in traditional and contemporary styles, including inlay. He is a multiple award winner. Our reference librawife as Donna Bennett (her own entry — Donna Bennett, Acoma, born 1951 — states "Wife of George Bennett").
His marks in our reference books: "G. O."; "Geo O Bennett"; and a third block-letter mark "G. O. BENN…".
The Mark
"George Oliver Bennett ( 1944-; HavasupavNavajo). Tradihonal; contemporary; inlay. Husband of Donna Sennott. Multiple award winner. Marl<s. G. 0.; Goo O Bennett; G. 0. BENN"
— Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. (2022).
The mark as documented in Hougart's hallmark reference: G. O.; Geo O Bennett; G. O. BENN….
References
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
- Bahti, Mark. Silver + Stone: Profiles of American Indian Jewelers. Tucson: Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2007. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2007.
- 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.
Know more about this artist? Contact T.Skies.
From the Library: Bahti, Silver + Stone: Profiles of American Indian Jewelers (2007)
2007 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2007, not today.
According to Bahti (2007, p. 22), George Bennett first saw silversmithing as a boy at the Fourth of July powwow in Flagstaff, where his grandmother took him and he watched an older Navajo man working silver. [1]
According to Bahti (2007, p. 22), he began working silver years later, after meeting Donna, by watching her stepfather for about two weeks, then borrowing his torch and teaching himself. [1]
After first selling mostly rings at Tucson's De Anza Drive-In and Tanque Verde swap meets, George Bennett told Bahti (2007):
“Then, as I got better and made more types of things, I began entering jewelry shows.”
— Bahti (2007), p. 25 [1]
According to Bahti (2007, p. 25), George was largely self-taught: he first shaped stones with a file until another jeweler told him to get a grinding wheel, and when he took up lost-wax casting in the 1980s he built his own vacuum caster from a reversed refrigerator motor. By his second year he was making reversible necklaces that won prizes. [1]
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 marks and dates:
“George O. Bennett (signs G.O., first used in 1972; Geo O Bennett) (Navajo/Hualapai, ca. 1972-present: traditional, contemporary, silver jewelry, sculpture)”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 83 [2]
Schaaf (2003) noted one of his styles:
“FORMS: Hopi-style overlay without black texturing”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 83 [2]
Field Notes by Mateo James
I notice the books name different nations. This page, following Hougart, calls George Oliver Bennett Havasupai/Navajo, while Schaaf's 2003 entry calls him Navajo/Hualapai. I show both as printed.
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.