Thursday, May 27, 2021

RIP : Sammy Smith

Sad news about Navajo carver Sammy Smith

We learned recently, when we were approached by an indivdiual who inherited some fetishes carved by Sammy Smith, that Sammy passed away last year. Since we were all caught up in the Covid preoccupation, we failed to travel to Sammy Smith's home turf in New Mexico. 

We first met Sammy Smith in Gallup, New Mexico, several years ago. We were struck by the technical excellence of his carvings and the variety of subjects and treatments. We also were impressed by how gracious he was and how generous he was with ihis time as he shared his experiences as a Navajo carver with us.

Sadly, there will be no new fetish carvings coming from this remarkable talent, a loss to all who knew him and have been fans of his artistry. We still have a few of his pieces available at ZuniLink.com. As a matter of practice, and out out of respect for the carver and the carver's collectors, we do Not raise prices of carvers when they stop carving. With inflation on the horizon (some say it is already here), we may consider price increases after a suitable period. In the meantime, we continue to offer Sammy Smith fetish carvings at the prices they have at since prior to his passing. 

Here's a direct link to his page on the ZuniLink website.