Some artists become known for a signature.
Quintin Quam Sr. gave us cardinals.
The moment I saw this, I laughed because there was absolutely no mistaking who made it. Before you ever notice the silverwork, your eyes are pulled from one brilliant red cardinal to the next until they finally land on that breathtaking center bird in full flight. It doesn’t feel like a necklace—it feels like a story unfolding.
This is exactly why Quintin’s cardinal pieces have become so beloved. They aren’t simply birds rendered in stone. They’re full of personality. Some perch quietly in the aspens. Others turn to watch you. Then, right in the center, one explodes into motion with its wings spread wide, tying the entire composition together. It’s one of those pieces that makes you stop looking at jewelry and start looking at art.
At 178 grams, this is a substantial one-of-a-kind museum-quality lariat that showcases the mastery of one of the Southwest’s most celebrated contemporary Navajo artists. Every panel is individually hand fabricated, and every inlaid cardinal is cut and assembled with remarkable precision. There isn’t a weak link anywhere in the composition.
Collectors chase Quintin Quam Sr. because his work bridges traditional Navajo silversmithing with unmistakable artistic identity. His cardinal series has become one of the most recognizable bodies of work in contemporary Native American jewelry, and truly unique compositions—especially dramatic lariats like this—rarely surface on the secondary market. When they do, they tend to disappear into established collections rather than circulate for long.
This isn’t simply one of Quintin’s cardinals.
It’s one of the pieces people remember.
⸻
Artifact Registry
Artifact Name: Crimson Chorus
Artist: Quintin Quam Sr.
Origin: Navajo Nation
Era: Contemporary
Materials: Sterling Silver with hand-cut stone inlay
Subject: Cardinals among Aspen branches
Weight: 178 grams
Length: Lariat Necklace
Construction: Hand fabricated, one-of-a-kind articulated lariat featuring multiple individually inlaid panels and a central flying cardinal.
Condition: Excellent.
Gallery Price: $22,500
Gallery Price reflects the estimated replacement cost of acquiring a comparable example through a premier gallery or specialized Native American art dealer. It is intended to provide collecting context rather than establish a retail asking price.
Field Observation
Among Quintin Quam Sr.’s cardinal works, the large one-of-a-kind narrative pieces stand apart. Rather than repeating a single motif, this necklace creates movement through multiple scenes that culminate in the dramatic central bird in flight. The combination of scale, complexity, and unmistakable artistic identity places it comfortably within the highest tier of his collectible work.
⸻
Eric’s Notes from the Field
I love pieces that don’t need an introduction.
You could cover the hallmark on the back, set this on a table across the room, and people who know Native jewelry would start smiling before they even picked it up.
“That’s Quintin.”
That’s the kind of signature every artist dreams about.
To me, that’s when jewelry crosses over into art. Not because it’s expensive. Because it’s instantly recognizable without ever reading the back.
Some artists become known for a signature.
Quintin Quam Sr. gave us cardinals.
The moment I saw this, I laughed because there was absolutely no mistaking who made it. Before you ever notice the silverwork, your eyes are pulled from one brilliant red cardinal to the next until they finally land on that breathtaking center bird in full flight. It doesn’t feel like a necklace—it feels like a story unfolding.
This is exactly why Quintin’s cardinal pieces have become so beloved. They aren’t simply birds rendered in stone. They’re full of personality. Some perch quietly in the aspens. Others turn to watch you. Then, right in the center, one explodes into motion with its wings spread wide, tying the entire composition together. It’s one of those pieces that makes you stop looking at jewelry and start looking at art.
At 178 grams, this is a substantial one-of-a-kind museum-quality lariat that showcases the mastery of one of the Southwest’s most celebrated contemporary Navajo artists. Every panel is individually hand fabricated, and every inlaid cardinal is cut and assembled with remarkable precision. There isn’t a weak link anywhere in the composition.
Collectors chase Quintin Quam Sr. because his work bridges traditional Navajo silversmithing with unmistakable artistic identity. His cardinal series has become one of the most recognizable bodies of work in contemporary Native American jewelry, and truly unique compositions—especially dramatic lariats like this—rarely surface on the secondary market. When they do, they tend to disappear into established collections rather than circulate for long.
This isn’t simply one of Quintin’s cardinals.
It’s one of the pieces people remember.
⸻
Artifact Registry
Artifact Name: Crimson Chorus
Artist: Quintin Quam Sr.
Origin: Navajo Nation
Era: Contemporary
Materials: Sterling Silver with hand-cut stone inlay
Subject: Cardinals among Aspen branches
Weight: 178 grams
Length: Lariat Necklace
Construction: Hand fabricated, one-of-a-kind articulated lariat featuring multiple individually inlaid panels and a central flying cardinal.
Condition: Excellent.
Gallery Price: $22,500
Gallery Price reflects the estimated replacement cost of acquiring a comparable example through a premier gallery or specialized Native American art dealer. It is intended to provide collecting context rather than establish a retail asking price.
Field Observation
Among Quintin Quam Sr.’s cardinal works, the large one-of-a-kind narrative pieces stand apart. Rather than repeating a single motif, this necklace creates movement through multiple scenes that culminate in the dramatic central bird in flight. The combination of scale, complexity, and unmistakable artistic identity places it comfortably within the highest tier of his collectible work.
⸻
Eric’s Notes from the Field
I love pieces that don’t need an introduction.
You could cover the hallmark on the back, set this on a table across the room, and people who know Native jewelry would start smiling before they even picked it up.
“That’s Quintin.”
That’s the kind of signature every artist dreams about.
To me, that’s when jewelry crosses over into art. Not because it’s expensive. Because it’s instantly recognizable without ever reading the back.
