Natural Stenech Turquoise Navajo Necklace & Earrings Set - Allison Snowhawk Lee (#073)

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Stenech Turquoise Mine, Nevada, Lander County, Bullion District.  (No. 21-3. pl. 1)  Located near the south side, center, Sec. 19, T28N., R47E, 1 mile north-northeast of Gold Acres.  Latitude: 40.28389 : Longitude: -116.71 : Elevation: 5760 ft.   Claims are the Norma, Norma 1, Aurora, Aurora 1 and Aurora 2.  First location notice to Lander County Recorder by A. Stenech 12/05/1929.  Last entry for Stenech  06/27/1945.  First entry for Edgar 06/26/1946.

Gently folded, nearly horizontal beds of gray shale and chert contain nodules of turquoise concentrated in the darker shale layers.  Some turquoise occurs in thin inter-bedded, tuffaceous lenses.   Several open pits constitute the development work at the mine.  Stenech turquoise is mostly found in the form of small nuggets, known to the trade as "Zuni"  nuggets.  Larger samples are known, but they are considered quite rare.   The Stenech mine produces turquoise in the blue to greenish-blue color range along with radical shades of green turquoise.

August Stenech discovered the mine in 1929 while prospecting for gold.  "Gus" was an old Austrian gold miner who immigrated to America and owned a significant gold deposit which also yielded fine rich turquoise.  Mr. Stenech owned the original Carico Lake turquoise mine and several others .  His namesake mine was near Gold Acres in Lander County.  J.W. Edgar took over the mine  based on a will recovered from the deceased August Steinich.  This "Brown Wrapper Will"  was legally verified to have been written and signed  by Gus Stenech, leaving J.W. Edgar the mines . It was widely known that Gus trusted the younger Edgar, thus the will was upheld in court.   The last owner of record is J. W. Edgar and title to the lease is believed to be held by the Edgar Estate.  This Nevada mine has not been active since 1967.

About the artist:

Allison Lee - Navajo Silversmith:
Speaking of the silver and gold jewelry he hand crafts, Allison Lee's captivating voice is sincere when he says, "One time my uncle told me that everything we build comes from the earth, like the silver that comes from the earth, or the turquoise that comes from the earth. That is a lot of energy. You put it together and you put your heart and mind into a piece. Then sometimes a certain piece of jewelry- I believe- it is made for a certain person. I usually have a ring, or something, that stays with me for about two or three years, until the right person comes along. And then that person buys that piece. I believe that every piece of jewelry that I make is made for somebody out there- it's made for somebody special. Whoever might be having problems, or something like that. In essence, that energy helps that person get help, by wearing pieces that we make. That is the way I look at it.

See full biography | See all items by Allison Snowhawk Lee

Related categories:

Navajo Jewelry See all items in this category

Related legends:

Silversmithing
When and how the Navaho acquired the art of working metals is unknown but there are reasons for supposing that it was introduced among them, or at least more developed and improved upon by them, since the time they have occupied their present country? More about this legend

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