Very Early-RARE KIRK SMITH-Morenci Turquoise-MOP-Italian Branch Coral-925 Cuff

"KIRK SMITH"s jewelry is probably the most collected from any artist in passing.. His pieces have always had high recognition, but definitely more so, since his unfortunate passing in Sept.

2012 & like anybody that had a reputable name like Kirk, once their jewelry goes into collector's hands, they are gone.. His pieces have & will always have'Investment/Museum/Collector's Quality.. And this colossal cuff is a fine example of his earliest works! He started in the 60's from working & learning silversmithing from his Grandfather & in'72 went out on his own after working for clothes & shoes, to helping his uncle do sand cast pieces. But it wasn't until he hooked up with brotherin law"Harry Morgan" in the 80's, that he really started paying attention to design & his career started taking off...

Harry had a big name & Kirk said, "he wanted to be one of those people that had a name" & that he did! It was Harry however, who was the innovator of creating jewelry that had an'Old Pawn, Vintage Revival, Classic 1930's style that Kirk learned from & ended up surpassing him with the style that now, many of todays modern day Navajo silversmith's have jumped on the band wagon doing & repeated Kirk's style giving their jewelry a very old pawn look that's heavily oxidized as if the jewelry was at least 50100 years old. His Grandfather once told him"When you leave something here, your name will always be here" & that he did.

His work will always be remembered & cherished. This cuff was a super lucky find & came from a Santa Fe collector who collected Kirk's jewelry & bought it quite a few years ago. They got into a financial pinch & had to sell many of their pieces.

Having personally followed Kirk's work for years, this rare cuff is one of his earliest works, along with having his 1st "KS" hallmark. (Later he spelled out his whole name in cursive) Through the years, Kirk developed his own signature style, so much so that there was no denying as to who made it.. This cuff was made before he developed that style. It is quite the cuff, being just under 4" wide & is made in a "Red-White & Blue theme with gorgeous blue Morenci turquoise, cuts of shimmery Mother of Pearl & Italian branch Coral.

The HUGE 2-1/2 center has some amazing color to it & on the top (depending on how you look at it) is mostly pyrite. The material sits atop of an oxidized sheet of sterling that is used for it's wide platform, which was what was needed for all the cuts!

Please see all photos since they paly a major role to my description. If you collect any of Kirk's work, this is one that needs to go into your collection because this one here gives you a historical timeline from when he started & how his design developed to what it became at the time of his passing. WEIGHT: 91 Grams (3.21 Ounce).

FINISH: Natural patina from age. (do not polish & will send as it is). MATERIAL: Natural Morenci turquoise-I believe this could be mixed with a few Kingman on some of the smaller cutsItalian Branch Coral-Mother of Pearl. TOTAL CENTER STONE SIZE: 63.6 X 22.7 mm Range (2.50" x just under 1"). CORAL & TURQUOISE CLUSTER SIZE: See photo 6. INNER ACROSS MEASUREMENT: 2.50 (This is measured on the left to right inside while cuff is laying flat-Different measurement from interior). TOTAL WRIST SIZE: 6-5/8 Not sure if this will fit? Read below on "How to Fit a Cuff". CONDITION: Used-No cracks in the stone-stone sits secure in bezel-There's a few bezels that have wear, but the stones are in tight. Shank is nicely rounded & is in the same condition as when it was new-The sterling has darkened with natural patina. Because of the price, this will have a mandatory signature confirmation requirement.

Unless the cuff is defective(Which it isn't) there is now a 3% charge that will be taken out from the total price you paid if there's a return.. This applies to buyers remorse, too big, too small, too heavy, don't like it, doesn't fit, etc..

This is one good reason why you should go over measurements, read all the detail I provided you & know your wrist size before purchasing. Please ask any questions/concerns you may have beforehand. HOW TO FIT A CUFF. You can "You Tube" this by putting something like, "How to Fit a Cuff".

Cuffs fit different than any other type bracelet & it is important they fit right! The best way to get a good fit is to measure a cuff bracelet you already have that fits you well. You can use my "across measurement" guide above or go by this. The total inside circumference is the inside circumference of the bracelet from end to end plus the gap (the distance between the ends)If you don't have a cuff bracelet, then measure your wrist where you want to wear the bracelet.

Cut a strip of paper approximately 8 long and as wide as the bracelet you would like to wear. Wrap the paper around your wrist where you would wear the bracelet. You might secure the paper with a piece of tape to get a better feel of the fit. Remove the paper and measure from the end to the mark for the circumference of your wrist. EXAMPLE: If the inside Circumference end to end is 5" and the Gap is 1", the total inside Circumference would be 6" and would be suitable for a wrist approximately 5 3/4" to 6 1/4 depending on how tight or loose you like to wear your bracelets..

Remember the interior does not change, but the gap can be adjusted, either by yourself or your jeweler, depending on the thickness of the gauge & depending on the designI. If it's a cluster stye with LOTS of stones! The thickness of the fleshy part (above your wrist) is equally as important as to whether a cuff fits properly & even though the cuff could fit your wrist, if the gap is too small or too large, can make a HUGE difference in the cuff fitting, so the gap is equally as imporatant as the interior measurement!

A cuff should not'roll' around on your wrist(Too loose), nor should you see flesh hanging over the edge(Too tight) Always put the cuff on ABOVE the wrist bone where it is fleshy, (NOT on the wrist)then bring it down to wrist. And NEVER "squeeze" to tighten!! Go easy, if the gauge is lighter.. Reverse this method to take off.

This item is in the category "Jewelry & Watches\Ethnic, Regional & Tribal\Bracelets & Charms". The seller is "platadesantafejewelry" and is located in this country: US.

This item can be shipped to United States.

Country of Origin: SOUTHWEST USA
Department: Women
Type: BRACELET
Secondary Stone: MOTHER OF PEARL, Coral
Main Stone Color: RED WHITE BLUE
Color: Orange
Vintage: Yes
Occasion: Anytime, Anniversary, Birthday, Engagement
Brand: KIRK SMITH
Era: 1970'S
Ethnic & Regional Style: NATIVE AMERICAN-NAVAJO
Shape: OVAL
Handmade: Yes
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Style: Cuff
Base Metal: STERLING SILVER
Setting Style: BEZEL-CLUSTER
Material: STONE-SHELL
Theme: SOUTHWESTERN,SANTA FE JEWELRY,WESTERN
Features: STATEMENT
Item Length: 3-7/8\
Metal Purity: 925
Main Stone: MORENCI TURQUOISE
Wholesale: No
Metal: STERLING SILVER
Tribal Affiliation: NAVAJO