| The art of silver smithing has been a form of | | | | to spread across the southwest. The Native |
| expression of Native American Indian tribes of | | | | American Indian artisans now had access to |
| the southwest. The art can be traced back to the | | | | gasoline. The charcoal heating method was |
| late 1800's. What is the art of silver smithing? The | | | | replaced with gasoline torches. Along with gasoline |
| art of silver smithing is taking silver metal pieces | | | | torches, new tools became available such as |
| and working those pieces into a buckle, button, | | | | metal rolling mills, wire dies, and ingot molds. Silver |
| earrings, and other various goods. Native | | | | could be bought as bars and melted in the ingot |
| American Indians became more familiar with silver | | | | molds. The ingots of silver could be used to |
| they start making bolder variations of art where | | | | create silver sheet or wire with the use of metal |
| they affixed semi-precious stones such as | | | | rolling mill or wire dies. Additional tools that |
| turquoise. The art became a source of income for | | | | became available tin snips, hacksaws, jeweler's |
| the Navajo American Indian artisans. | | | | saws, and sharp nose pliers. |
| The Early Years | | | | As the art form grew, new tools became |
| Native American Indian artisans in the late 1800's | | | | available such as acetylene torches. Better hand |
| and early 1900's had no access to better tools. | | | | tools became available such as hammers, anvils, |
| The silversmith would place pieces of silver over a | | | | pliers, and saws. The most important thing also |
| charcoal and use a hand bellows to raise the | | | | became available was that silver was sold in |
| temperature of the charcoal to melt solder to | | | | sheets and wires of various sizes. |
| other pieces. The tools that a Native American | | | | Today |
| Indian artisan had were made from scrap pieces | | | | The art of silver smithing is now showcased |
| of iron from old wagons. Silver was only available | | | | across the world in the forms of jewelry and |
| in the form of American or Mexican coins. The | | | | other goods. The most famous form of art would |
| solder that was used was made from silver and | | | | be the Navajo Squash Blossom necklace or the |
| brass from bullets casings. | | | | Navajo Concho belt. Today various people wear |
| The Expansion | | | | Native American Indian jewelry from actors on |
| The economy picked up and gas stations started | | | | television to the school teacher at the local school. |