It is with immense sadness that we share the passing of Ben Nighthorse Campbell on December 30, 2025, at The Nighthorse Ranch outside of Ignacio, Colorado—a place he called home since 1978. He was 92.

It’s common in the Indian art business for people to stop in and ask for help valuing jewelry they have inherited or received as a gift. Sometimes, they want to sell it; sometimes, they just want to know more about it.

I was in Zuni on Saturday to meet with a collector who has lived in the village for several years. After our meeting, we got into his car, and he gave me a tour. It had been a long time, and it was a trip down memory lane.

If I had to name the top three traditional Navajo silversmiths working today, Jeanette Dale would be one of them. I don’t know who the others are, but I don’t think she’d be in second place.

Navajo inlay artist Jimmy Poyer has been working with us for approximately 40 years, since we relocated to our large gallery building in Durango. He is a unique man as well as an incredible jeweler.

Coral was introduced to the Southwest by the Spanish who brought beads made from the material to the area as trade items. The Pueblo Indians began using the coral beads and, later, branch coral pieces to complement their turquoise heishi necklaces.

From Santo Domingo Pueblo (Kewa), Larry Pacheco was never known for traditional lapidary Santo Domingo Jewelry. He first came to the attention of jewelry collectors for what would generally be considered traditional Navajo jewelry.

Marie Jackson learned to make jewelry from her in-laws, Martha and Gene. When she met her husband, Tommy, he had been silversmith for years.

"I watched Martha and Gene making jewelry, and they helped me to get started. Tommy encouraged me, too!" she says.

Both of my grandmothers were pin wearers.  Most of the adult women I grew up around wore these decorative pieces of jewelry on their blouses, on the lapels of their jackets, or, as my dad’s mother and aunt did, on her hats. They were both a little eccentric and a lot of fun!

Back in the ‘60s and early ‘70s, when there was an explosion of interest in Southwest Indian jewelry, the Pueblo of Zuni was a very busy place. Silver and lapidary artists made jewelry as fast as they could and still couldn’t satisfy the market.

Before Raymond Sequaptewa became a contemporary Hopi Silversmith, using stones and unusual castings, different metals and unique designs, he made traditional overlay Hopi jewelry. Sort of…

Our major focus for Gallery Walk is a great showing of Stanton Englehart’s paintings but something else came up that is just too good not share. 

We recently met a gentleman from the Colorado Front Range whose father had passed. It turns out that his father was an avid collection of American Indian belt buckles. He may have been a little more than avid!