I’m finally getting around to going through my mother’s things. I found this ring, and several other items that I’m sure I’ll be asking about. My parents literally bought out a pawn store’s jewelry collection.
The ring is marked Shush and stamped with a bear. The only thing I’ve been able to come close to is Shush Yazee aka little bear. He ran a trading post, which is still in business today. I find several Yazees listed as jewelry makers, but I can’t find any mention of him actually making jewelry.
Am I on the correct path in my research?
Do you mean Sush Yaz Trading in Gallup?
Shush Yaz had its beginnings five generations and more than 120 years ago when Seth Benjamin Tanner led settlers from Utah to Tuba City, Arizona. The Navajo admired Tanner’s strength and called him Hosteen Shush, or Mr. Bear. His grandchildren were called Shush Yazzie, or “Little Bears.”
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I don’t know if he made jewelry in his shop using a shop mark. You wouldn’t find a Navajo silversmith using this mark.