Art of the Southwest by Canyon Country Originals
Clarence Lee is a master Navajo silversmith. Typically, he uses a great deal of whimsy in his work, often taking his ideas from what he has seen on the Reservation. Some of his characters include cowboys, Navajos, roosters, horses, goats, sheep, weavers, trucks (especially trucks), families, canyons, etc. (See silver pin, above right, depicting a Navajo Shepherdess.) His approach is close to that of a pictorial rug weaver, except Clarence works in sterling silver.
As a youngster, he grew up on his father's trading post at Twin Lakes. He credits older Navajo jewelers for teaching him the craft, and then he went on to develop his own unique style and expertise. Now living in Gallup, Clarence is now in partnership with his son, Russell. Clarence has won ribbons at most of the better Indian exhibits, including the Gallup Ceremonial, the Santa Fe Indian Market, and the Heard Museum in Phoenix. We feel privileged to have his work on our site.
To order, call 1-800-401-1192, or 1-520-529-5545 if
you are out of the United States, or go to our
Order Page
- All sizes are approximate.
Item# J43-Clarence Lee, Navajo
A very satisfied billy goat! Sterling silver with turquoise. Pin
measures 2" in width.
Price: $165.
Item# J44-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Coyote howling at the moon. Sterling silver with turquoise. Pin
measures 2" in height.
Price: $165.
Item# J45-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Navajo shepherdess. This two-dimensional pendant comes alive with the
brass monuments in the background. Sterling silver. Pendant measures 1
1/2" wide by 2" in high.
Price: $350.
Item# J268-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Navajo weaver. In the "old days," Navajo weavers wove their
rugs outside, because there was no room in their hogan. Since they
worked mostly in the summer, they would pick a shady spot, like under
this cottonwood tree. Brass monument are in the background. Pendant
measures 1 1/2" wide by 2 1/2" in high.
Price: $350.
Item# J76-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Apache Gan dancer. The Gan Dancers were the supernatural emissaries of
the Apache's version of the Supreme Being. Sterling silver. Pendant
measures 1 1/2" wide by 2 1/2" in high.
Price: $350.
Item# J46-Clarence Lee, Navajo
A Navajo home scene in sterling. Shown are a Navajo man chopping wood,
a hogan, a Navajo woman cooking in her summer shelter, and a Navajo
shepherdess. Sterling silver. Bracelet measures 1 1/4" wide.
Price: $550.
For wrist circumference over 7 1/2", add $75.
Item# J49-Clarence Lee, Navajo
One dog is chasing and one dog is leading this pickup truck around
this polished piece of silver. There is another dog and a water barrel
in the back of the truck. This design is Clarence Lee's "trademark."
Sterling silver. Bracelet measures 7/8" wide.
Price: $250.
For wrist circumference over 7 1/2", add $35.
Item# J51-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Navajo home scene. Hogan, left; summer house with Navajo woman
cooking, right. Sterling silver. Bracelet measures 7/8" wide.
Price: $250.
For wrist circumference over 7 1/2", add $35.
Item# J79-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Navajo storyteller. Hogan, left; summer house with Navajo grandmother,
seated, telling stories to her three grandchildren, right. Sterling
silver. Bracelet measures 7/8" wide.
Price: $250.
For wrist circumference over 7 1/2", add $35.
Item# J47-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Navajo shepherdess. Sterling silver. Bracelet measures 7/8" wide.
(Small and medium sizes available.)
Price: $250.
For wrist circumference over 7 1/2", add $35.
Item# J50-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Navajo ponies. Sterling silver. Bracelet measures 7/8" wide.
Price: $250.
For wrist circumference over 7 1/2", add $35.
Item# J52-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Truck pin. Sterling silver. Navajo family on their way to town. Pin
measures 3 1/2" wide.
Price: $195.
Item# J269-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Navajo weaver pin. Sterling silver. Typical Navajo vertical loom, in
the "old days." Pin measures 2 1/4" wide.
Price: $195.
Item# J53-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Running horses pin. Sterling silver. Pin measures 3 1/2" wide.
Price: $195.
Item# J54-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Navajo shepherdess pin. Sterling silver. Pin measures 21/2" wide.
Price: $195.
Item# J71-Clarence Lee, Navajo
"Going to town" pin. Mom, pop, grandma and the baby coming
home, with the water barrel. Sterling silver. Pin measures 3"
wide.
Price: $195.
Item# J73-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Navajo "rough rider" on an Army pony pin. Sterling silver.
Pin measures 3" wide.
Price: $195.
Item# J75-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Navajo couple on their pony pin. Sterling silver. Pin measures 2 3/4"
wide.
Price: $215.
Item# J74-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Contemporary Appaloosa horse, the Native American horse. Cast sterling
silver, with turquoise.. Pin measures 3" wide.
Price: $215.
Item# J72-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Hopi koshari clown in a race. Sterling silver. Pin measures 2 1/4"
wide.
Price: $195.
Item# J56-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Hopi maiden pin. Sterling silver. Pin measures 2 3/4" high.
Price: $195.
Item# J273-Clarence Lee, Navajo
This is Clarence's Navajo Truck scene in a belt buckle. With the
canyon rocks in the background, this driver is putt-putting along with
his boy in the back, and the three dogs going along for the trip.
(Hope the muffler does not fall off.) Sterling silver with copper
accents. Buckle 3" wide, 2 1/4" high, for 1 1/2" to 1
3/4" belt.
Price: $375.
Item# J78-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Navajo home scene. Hogan with child, left; and mother cooking, right.
Dad is loading in fire wood, and the cat is begging for a handout.
Canyon rocks in background. Sterling silver with copper accents.
Buckle 3" wide, 2 1/4" high, for 1 1/2" to 1 3/4"
belt.
Price: $375.
Item# J199-Clarence Lee, Navajo
Running Indian ponies. Sterling silver with copper and brass accents.
Buckle 3" wide, 2 1/4" high, for 1 1/2" to 1 3/4"
belt. A matching bracelet can be ordered.
Price: $375.
To order, call 1-800-401-1192, 1-520-721-8757 if you
are out of the United States, or go to our
Order Page
- All dimensions are approximate. -
- Recommended reading - Check Amazon.com. They stock most of these titles.
- Navajo Jewelry, A Legacy of Silver and Stone, by Lois Jacka, Northland Publishing, $14.95 (paper);
- The Beauty of Hopi Jewelry, by Theda Bassman, $14.95 (paper);
- Zuni Jewelry, by Theda Bassman, $12.95 (paper);
- Hallmarks of the Southwest, by Barton Wright, $45.00 (cloth);
