Raymond C. Yazzie — Navajo/Diné Silversmith
Raymond C. Yazzie — Navajo Silversmith
Raymond C. Yazzie (1959–; Navajo) started his career as a lapidary worker at approximately ten years old, developing a mastery of stone work that underpins his later silversmithing. He works in mosaic inlay, stone sets, inlay, stamp work, in silver and gold. He is a multiple award winner. He is the brother of Lee Yazzie and Mary Marie Yazzie.
Mary Marie Yazzie (1943–; Navajo), his sister, has been active since the 1960s and in the 1990s did some inlay work on Preston Monongye castings originally made by Monongye in the 1970s — some collaboration with her brother Raymond is documented. Lee Yazzie is also part of the Yazzie sibling silversmithing family.
The Mark
"Raymond C. Yazzie (1959–; Navajo). Started as a lapidary worker when about 10 years old. Mosaic inlay; stone sets; inlay; stamp work; silver, gold. Multiple award winner. Brother of Lee and Mary Marie Yazzie. Mark: RC Y (inside a rectangle)"
— Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. (2022).
Mark: RC Y inside a rectangular cartouche. The initials-plus-surname-initial form in a cartouche is a common Navajo hallmarking convention.
Family Links
- Brother of Mary Marie Yazzie (Navajo)
- Brother of Lee Yazzie (Navajo) — see Lee Yazzie
References
- Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. Washington, DC: BilleHougartBooks, 2022.
Know more about Raymond C. Yazzie or the Yazzie family Navajo silversmithing tradition? Contact T.Skies.
From the Library: Bassman, The Beauty of Navajo Jewelry (1997)
1997 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1997, not today.
Bassman (1997, p. 8) pictured two unfinished gold rings by Raymond Yazzie, waiting to be set with coral, lapis lazuli and turquoise. [1]
Bassman (1997) pictured a bracelet by him:
“Beveled salmon coral inlaid with gold channel and dot made by Raymond Yazzie.”
— Bassman (1997), p. 19 [1]
Bassman (1997, p. 53) pictured a 14-karat gold ring by Raymond Yazzie inlaid with beveled turquoise, angel and oxblood coral, Australian opal, malachite, sugilite and gold channels. [1]
From the Library: Schaaf, American Indian Jewelry I (2003)
2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.
Schaaf (2003, p. 331) recorded Raymond C. Yazzie as stamping his signature in script or RCY inside an arrowhead, Navajo, born in 1959 and active from about 1970 in gold and silver inlay, mosaic and set-stone jewelry, the husband of Colina Gorman Yazzie, with the 1994 Elkus Memorial Award among many prizes and work in the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock. [2]
Schaaf (2003) wrote:
“For the next decade, he helped his older brother, Lee Yazzie, carefully watching him cut and inlay stones.”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 332 [2]
According to Schaaf (2003, p. 332), at fourteen Raymond collaborated with Lee on an inlaid concha belt that won Best of Show at the 1973 Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup. [2]
Raymond Yazzie told Schaaf (2003):
“I get my inspiration especially from my family.”
— Schaaf (2003), p. 332 [2]
From the Library: Dubin, North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment (1999)
1999 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1999, not today.
Dubin (1999, p. 491) pictured a concha belt in which Raymond Yazzie set Navajo rug designs in turquoise, coral and jet inlay, with overlay silverwork by the Hopi smith Manuel Hoyungowa, dated 1974, and wrote that he designed and made it at fourteen, becoming the youngest Indian artist to win Best of Show at the Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial. [3]
Speaking to Dubin for her 1999 book, Raymond Yazzie said of the trader Joe Tanner:
“The years I worked with Joe were the most creative years of my life”
— Dubin (1999), p. 520 [3]
Field Notes by Mateo James
I notice the two books tell the story of this belt differently. Schaaf's 2003 register, cited above, has Raymond at fourteen collaborating with his brother Lee on a belt that won Best of Show at Gallup in 1973. Dubin's 1999 caption says Raymond designed and made it himself, credits the overlay silverwork to Manuel Hoyungowa and dates the piece 1974. I show both as printed.
Sources
- Bassman, Theda. The Beauty of Navajo Jewelry. Photography by Gene Balzer. Walnut, California: Kiva Publishing, 1997. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1997.
- 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.
- Dubin, Lois Sherr. North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment: From Prehistory to the Present. Original photography by Togashi, Paul Jones, and others. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1999. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1999.
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.
Name card shown; hallmark photo to come.