Antique American Indian Art, LLC
Matt Wood's                                              
ANTIQUE AMERICAN INDIAN ART, LLC
50 NE Midway Blvd
Oak Harbor, Washington 98277
(949) 813-7202 -
  [email protected]
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Antique 
American Indian Art, llc

​Specializing in Fine Antique American Indian Art & Artifacts
A Gallery of the Greater Seattle, Washington Region
​Gallery / Museum in Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island, WA

Antique Native American Indian art artifacts for sale
The Artifact Shop
Appraisal services for antique american indian art artifacts Native items
Repair & Restoration
Repair cleaning restoration Native American Indian art artifacts
Appraisals
How to sell your Native American Indian art artifacts jewelry rugs pots baskets
Selling your Collection
Contact Us
Contact Us


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Matt Wood's
Antique American Indian Art,
LLC


Website last updated: 

April 22,  2025

Coming Soon!
Early Man Collection
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Coming Soon
We are processing a massive Private Estate Collection with extensive prehistoric materials  and will be posting in our New Acquisition and Prehistoric Artifact pages  over the next 2 months!
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The MKL Collection History

A significant basket, pottery, jewelry and Inuit collection was recently purchased from the Margaret Kung-Ting Liu estate. 


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FEATURED ARTIFACT
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Navajo sand casting ​

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Navajo sand casting is a traditional jewelry-making technique used by Navajo artisans to create silver and sometimes gold pieces, such as pendants, belt buckles, bolo ties, and rings. Developed in the mid-19th century after Navajos learned silversmithing from Mexican artisans, it became a hallmark of Navajo craftsmanship, blending cultural motifs with technical skill.
Process:
  1. Mold Creation: A two-part mold is carved from soft, fine-grained materials like volcanic tuff, sandstone, or modern substitutes (e.g., compressed sand). The artisan carves intricate designs—often featuring traditional Navajo symbols like squash blossoms, thunderbirds, or geometric patterns—into one or both halves of the mold.
  2. Preparation: The mold halves are clamped together, leaving a small opening (sprue) for pouring metal. The mold is dusted with a release agent (like talc) to prevent sticking.
  3. Metal Pouring: Molten silver (or occasionally gold) is melted in a crucible, often using a forge or torch, and poured into the mold through the sprue. The metal fills the carved design, capturing its details.
  4. Cooling and Removal: Once the metal cools and solidifies, the mold is opened, and the rough casting is removed. The sprue is cut off, and excess metal is trimmed.
  5. Finishing: The piece is filed, sanded, and polished to smooth edges and enhance shine. Artisans may add embellishments like stamped designs, stone inlays (e.g., turquoise), or oxidation for contrast.
Characteristics:
  • Texture and Look: Sand-cast jewelry often has a slightly textured, organic appearance due to the mold’s natural material, distinguishing it from machine-made pieces. The designs are bold and deeply etched, reflecting Navajo aesthetics.
  • Uniqueness: Each piece is unique, as molds wear down after a few uses, requiring new carvings. Some molds are single-use, making certain pieces one-of-a-kind.
  • Cultural Significance: Designs often carry symbolic meaning, such as protection, fertility, or harmony, rooted in Navajo cosmology and storytelling.
Historical Context:
  • Sand casting emerged after 1868, when Navajos returned to their homeland from internment at Bosque Redondo and began adapting silversmithing for trade and cultural expression.
  • Early artisans like Atsidi Sani pioneered the technique, using tools acquired from Mexican silversmiths and later American traders.
  • By the 20th century, sand casting became a staple of Navajo jewelry, with artisans like Kenneth Begay and Mark Chee refining the craft, often combining it with stone inlay or stamping.
Modern Use:
  • While traditional methods persist, some contemporary Navajo jewelers use modern tools like electric torches or pre-made molds for efficiency.
  • Sand-cast pieces remain highly valued in Native American art markets, prized for their authenticity and craftsmanship. Collectors seek works by renowned smiths, identifiable by hallmarks (e.g., initials or symbols).
Navajo sand casting is celebrated for its blend of artistry, tradition, and individuality, embodying the resilience and creativity of Navajo culture. If you’re seeking examples or specific artisans, I can search for additional details or analyze related content.
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OUR  Mailing / Shipping  and Street ADDRESSES

We have moved into our new Gallery  and Museum in Oak Harbor, WA and are currently open by appointment only.

Antique American Indian Art, llc - AAIA
​Whidbey Island Native Arts Museum - WINAM


​Primary Mail:
AAIA, llc
P.O. Box 901 
Oak Harbor, WA 98277-9998 

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All Box Shipments:  
AAIA, llc

50 NE Midway Blvd.
Oak Harbor, WA 98277

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No SALES TAX for non-Washington State Customers

We have been picking up lots of New Acquisitions.   ​Bookmark our page and come back frequently!

View Our Art and Artifact Shop 
We:​
  • Specialize in North American Indian art and artifacts from the 19th and 20th centuries
  • Primarily acquired from private estate collections. 
  • Serve the Greater Seattle, Washington area with our galleries by appointment only

Using This Site

1. Available Art and Artifacts are under the THE ARTIFACT COLLECTION GALLERY CATALOG Button (top left, under Home)
2. Learn About the Art pages are still being populated although there is a lot there right now to read.
3. Free Appraisals are limited to 1 per person and we do not include stone artifacts or fine art.
4. Additional appraisals, Stone items and Fine Art are only $15 per artifact or artifact group evaluated as 1 lot
5. We offer paid Formal Letterhead Appraisals for insurance and estate purposes at a reasonable cost.
6. We offer Restoration and Cleaning of most Indian art and artifacts. See link above left.
7. Satisfaction is Always Guaranteed with a full money back policy.
8. Shipping is Free for most items. We exclude oversize and international.

Tuesday Talk with Matt Wood

Come visit our new online lecture discussions on various topics surrounding collecting Antique American Indian Art

Meet Owners Matt and Len Wood
Family Business For Over 50 Years
Matt Wood Antique American Indian Art Gallery Baskets Rugs Pottery Jewelry
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Of Special Note:
The Pottery of Maria Martinez

Maria Martinez Pottery plate avanyu

With the largest collection of Maria Martinez pottery available today, we specialize in all forms and signatures of Maria's works.

Click Here to See The Collection!

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IF you don't see it on our website, email us your wish list!
We may have it in stock but not yet online
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Call Direct 949-813-7202 if you have questions.

  • Always Buying and Consigning:
    • Northwest Coast Wood Carvings, Masks and Totem Poles and related items
    • Navajo Rugs and Navajo Blankets, Serapes, Chief Blankets, Regional Rugs, Ganado, Two Gray Hills, Crystal, Toadlena, Raised Outline, Teec Nos Pos, Shiprock Yei, Pictorials
    • Southwest,  California  and Northwest Basketry : Alaskan Eskimo Apache Attu Chemehuevi Chumash Columbia River Gabrielino Hopi Hupa-Karok-Yurok Kawaiisu Klamath Maidu Makah Mission Modoc Mono-Miwok-Paiute Nootka Northwest Papago Panamint Pima Pit River Plateau Pomo Siletz Tlingit Tubatulabal
    • Pueblo Pottery - Prehistoric, Historic, Early Contemporary and Contemporary; Acoma, Cochiti, Isleta, Jemez, Laguna, Nambe, Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan), Pojoaque, Sandia, San Felipe, San Ildephonso, Santa Ana, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo, Taos, Tesuque, Zia, Zuni 
    • Hopi Kachinas Dolls
    • Silver and Turquoise jewelry, Old Pawn through Contemporary: Hopi, Navajo and Zuni
    • Plains and Plateau Beaded Items and Artifacts
    • Weapons: Bow and Arrows, Clubs, Knives, Spears 
    • Fine Art - Paintings, Photographs including Edward Curtis, Lithographs
    • Early Man Artifacts

Always Selling - Buying & Consigning - Appraising - Restoring
 Fine Native American Art & Artifacts of the 19th and 20th Centuries

Disclaimer: Legal Requirement to differentiate:  items identified as NAVAJO on this website, meaning that it is to the best of our knowledge that the item was Probably Navajo, meaning that the  maker of the item, in our opinion,  was of the Navajo Tribe, and NOT that the item comes from The Trademarked  NAVAJO NATION. 

Prices subject to change due to typographical errors and product is subject to availability. Items without prices are typically available, and price and detailed information is on request. Please email us for details. Although the catalog is mostly current, some items may have been sold and not yet removed from site.
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​Photos and information may be re-used with written permission only from Matt Wood's Antique American Indian Art, LLC.
Websites are free to link to this page or any pages on our site but may not copy and publish any photos or information on their sites without written authorization from Matt Wood's Antique American Indian Art, LLC.


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