Vintage Native American Navajo Headstall Bridle withNaja & Bit. Silver & Turquoise
Offered for sale is a vintage Native American made headstall/bridle with silver & turquoise Naja. Headstall looks to be handmade with silver and turquoise adornments. Ive been told the silver on this bridle is made by Navajo American Indians. Bit is marked American and Pat Pend. It has turquoise and silver trim.
I have not attempted to clean, preferring to let the new owner decide whether or not to keep the original patina. I find no markings other than what is described as being on the bit.
It is in used condition. This is from my mothers western store.
She retired about 15 years ago and has since passed. However, people often brought in items such as this to sell to her or trade for merchandise. I have no further knowledge of its age or origin. Some background on Navajo bridles from adobe gallery.Com: The Diné from the Navajo Nation learned how to work with silver from Mexican silversmiths in the early 19th century. Good smiths created silver objects desired by Mexican and, later, American neighbors, and traded these objects for items they wanted or needed like horses or food.
One object that a very talented smith could get a good amount of trade on was a Navajo Sterling Silver and Leather Horse Bridle. A Navajo made bridle consists of a crown piece, a browband or headstall, cheek piece and a throat latch.
A distinguishing feature of Navajo bridles is the appearance of conchas and a naja. A naja is a crescent form of Moorish origin. The Spanish conquerors in the Southwest outfitted their horses in elaborate silver ornamentsone of which was the naja that hung directly on the forehead of the horse as a part of the bridle. It is believed the concha design was borrowed from the Mexicans.The word concha is Spanish for shell. Originally silver dollars were hammered, then stamped and edged to make conchas to be used in belts, buckles and horse gear.
On a Navajo bridle, conchas can be attached either at the junction of the browband and head stall or on the cheek piece. Review pictures to ascertain condition and determine authenticity for yourself. Don't hesitate to let me know if you have questions. I try my very best to offer quality pictures, accurate descriptions, and describe any apparent flaws. However, minor imperfections can be missed. Review all photos carefully to ascertain condition for yourself. Photos should be considered as part of the description. I always leave feedback, and I hope you will, too. THANK YOU for your interest in my items.Be sure to let me know if you have any questions. The item "Vintage Native American Navajo Headstall Bridle withNaja & Bit. Silver & Turquoise" is in sale since Friday, September 18, 2020. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Cultures & Ethnicities\Native American\ US\1800-1934\Other Nat. The seller is "oldmombud" and is located in Pullman, Washington.
This item can be shipped to United States.
- Provenance: Ownership History Not Available
- Tribal Affiliation: Navajo
- Culture: Native American: US
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
- Handmade: Yes