Robert Bird Persian Turquoise Clustered Flower Bracelet size 6 3/4”
Center: 2 1/2"
Midpoints: 1 1/2"
Terminals: 5/8"
Terminal-to-Terminal: 5 1/4"
+ Gap: 1 1/2"
= Total Size: 6 3/4"
This clustered flower bracelet by Navajo silversmith Robert Bird is set with a single center oval surrounded by radiating ovals and another layer of radiating ovals; all of rich blue natural Persian turquoise. These stones show classic black and dark brown matrix which renders the blue even bluer. This is Persian turquoise which was imported to the U.S. in the mid-seventies. The silverwork is simple and classic. Robert opted for a high-polish finish, but one could easily be tempted to let this go unpolished to develop a patina. Bright, or mellowed with wear and patina, this rare turquoise will remain the vividly warm focus of this piece.
Hallmarked "R BRD" inside and stamped "Sterling.
See spec/sizing photo for more information.
Note on Persian Turquoise: We can add little to the Wikipedia turquoise listing which includes several references to Persian turquoise. This is the classic Persian Blue mined at Nishapur in Iran. Persian turquoise is almost certainly the earliest mined turquoise, perhaps mined as early as 5500 B.C. It probably came to be called turquoise because 16th century Venetian traders bought it in Turkish bazaars and imported it to Europe. For centuries, Persian turquoise continued to come to Europe and the rest of the Occident through Turkey. In the United States, it was most often sold by Armenians of Turkish origin; some residing in Los Angeles, others in New York. The stones in this piece were sourced from Armenians in New York in the mid-seventies, while the Persian stones in Ida Peyton's earrings (see below) were sourced from Armenians in L.A. (also in the mid-70's). This stone was mined in Iran in the last few years of the reign of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. The subsequent overthrow of the Shah by a movement led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and the Shah's flight to New York (to receive cancer treatment at Sloan-Kettering) resulted in the taking of the Amerian hostages at the U.S. Embassy. Since the Hostage Crisis, the U.S. has maintained a trade embargo against Iran and current relations between the two countries have reached a nadir which will only be exceeded by tomorrow's dawning sun. Personally, I'm not expecting to see Persian turquoise legally imported to the U.S. again in my lifetime. This is legally imported turquoise used in this piece and very little of it remains in the United States.