Bought this 8 different stone (4 different Turquoise) with one missing across the middle for the beauty of it. It is pre-'70’s they say because the store shut down about then and everything set til recent. I believe the CD stamp is Navajo, found only one other stamp like it on a Kokopelli opal inlay pendant with no info but Navajo made. Stones are superbly tight. Size 12 with chunky sterling. You can see thru around the rope and the wide band. Has anyone heard of CD that does fine inlay work?
CD and his
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This looks Zuni to me, they do most of the inlay work especially that long ago.
Thank you for your reply! Are you the Zuni CD? Actually, My gut feeling was that it is Zuni to me also. But finding only one other CD mark on a Navajo piece, well I jumped to assumptions (& we know where the leads). The very fine matching stone on stone on this older ring is a great indicator of Zuni or an accomplished Navajo! Having 8 different inlays I would hope one could recognize this CD’s work.The white stone does not look MOP, not sure about that one. The bright green turqoise looks like Carico Lake, with a sliver of Sleeping beauty, two blue unknown turq and a green one makes 4 turqs unless the white is Buffalo with no matrix? In the slot of the missing stone is a thin layer of black (not sure if that is part of the old piece. Maybe someone has some more knowledge about this fine ring. If I didn’t know better it reminds me of Ray Tracy. Thank you again.
Still cant find a "CD’ that does this of fine inlay. Inserted a piece of volcanic rock in the ring, could use a little more polishing.
Carl Dodge is the answer my own question: This type of work was done by Navajo Carl Dodge (similar to old Ray Jack Style). Unsure of the age of this piece, it is definitely pre-70’s. This was related to me by a couple who for decades worked the S.W. mines and seem to have meet every surviving Native Silversmith (& learned of their past and present relatives) while living with, working by and enjoying their hospitality. Found in their hand written notes was a Navajo CD (by this name) that used this style inlay and mosaic in his works.