Dear Paula,
I have come into the possession of a piece by Russell Sam and have tried in vain to find out anything about the artist. I wondered if you might have some info on him or might be able to point me to someone who might have some biography info on him. I would appreciate any help you could give me. I have attached a scanned picture of the Russell Sam pendant. If you know anything at all about the artist, I would appreciate whatever info you may have on him. Thank you so much for your time and trouble.
Sincerely, Dolores
Hi Delores,
Russell Sam is a Navajo silversmith from the Gallup, New Mexico area who is still producing as we are currently purchasing his items. In fact, we have a very similar pendant to yours in our store right now.
Many members of the Sam family are silversmiths in New Mexico and a number of them had worked for the Atkinson Trading Company in past years.
Native American Jewelry Tips 