Susie James — Navajo Silversmith
Name-card placeholder — hallmark imagery to follow. © Turquoise Skies Inc.
Susie James (1954–2012) was a Navajo silversmith active since the 1990s. The Hougart record documents her work in traditional stamp work, set stones, and hollowware — the last technique being relatively unusual and indicating a higher level of fabrication skill, as hollowware requires forming closed three-dimensional silver forms rather than flat or wire-based constructions.
She was the daughter of Marcella James, establishing a family connection within the Navajo silversmithing tradition. Her mark is notably spelled with a "Z" — SUZIE JAMES — rather than the conventional "S" spelling of her name.
The Mark
""SUZIE JAMES (with a 'Z')" — Hougart, Bille. *Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks*, 5th ed. (2022), p. ~16994."
— Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. (2022).
— Hougart, Bille. Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed. (2022), p. ~16994.
The full name stamp reads SUZIE JAMES. The "Z" spelling is specifically noted by Hougart as a distinguishing feature of the mark, important for authentication.
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- Hougart, Bille. *Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks*, 5th ed. Schiffer Publishing, 2022. Entry approx. p. ~16994.