J1654 Tufa Cast Cuff

Tufa cast cuff by noted Navajo silversmith Philander Begay. The 1” wide cuff has a 1” x 5/8” Fox turquoise. The inside of the cuff is 5 1/4” with a 1 3/8” gap.

The Fox mine, once known as the Cortez, has been one of the largest producing mines in Nevada for almost a century. An official notice of location on the property under the name of “Fox Lode Mining Claim” was filed in 1914 though the deposit had been known for years before to the Indians of the area. Fox turquoise is quite hard and of a blue to greenish color.

Philander was influenced by Darryl Begay, Raymond Yazzie, Aaron Anderson, Preston Monongye, Jesse Monongye to name a few. He is especially noted for his true tufa casting: carving semi-solid sandstone, and then pouring molten silver in the fragile mold to create bracelets, buckles, bolo ties and pendants that have exquisite detail. Each piece is truly one-of-a-kind because the tufa mold is extremely friable and degrades after one casting.