A Little Bit About Us:

The Fort Defiance Trading Post Story | The Hartman Story

Vintage Turquoise Jewelry is a division of Durango Silver Company. We have been in the Jewelry business since 1965 and had been previously collecting Native American Antiques, Jewelry, Turquoise and Western Antiques. We have been designing and fabricating jewelry since 1965. John Hartman is a master jeweler with expertise in Silver and Gold metalsmithing as well as lapidary arts. John began the business with his wife Estell, who is also a skilled jeweler, but who at this time focusses her energy towards collecting and selling fine antique jewelry and gems. Dillon & Nattarika Hartman are the next generation of the business, both are jewelers, stone cutters, jewelry enthusiasts, and traders in training.

This is a small family business and we intend to keep it that way. We like to offer a more personal shopping experience. We currently opperate out of our Gallery in Durango, Colorado USA. We have been at this location since 1976. Please come by and visit us if you are ever in Durango, CO. We would love to see you, and to share our knowledge and collection.

We do offer appraisels on jewelry. This service is only offered if you schedule an appointment with John Hartman and meet at the Durango Silver Co. Gallery in Durango, CO.

We Buy, Sell & Trade! - We are always looking for good old jewelry as well as collections of old turquoise.

The Fort Defiance Collection Acquisition

In the fall of 1982, I was sitting in front of the fireplace at my Trading Post called "Canyon Collectors" in Durango Colorado with an old cowboy friend. An old car pulled into my parking lot and as I looked at it I thought I saw Navajo Rugs stacked to the sealing in the back seat. I said to my friend "Jed", watch me buy an old Indian collection and we both laughed.

I had been trading in antique guns, early frontier items and vintage Turquoise Jewelry since I was a Kid - 1960's and I had owned the Trading Post since 1976 dealing in the same.

This old man, about 90 years old, walks in my door and Jed and I said "Hello", he grunted something. He casually walked around the Trading Post and then walked up and said, "Who owns this joint?" I said, "I the owner, can I help you?" he said "I got a bunch of old Navajo Rugs, are you buying?" I said, "lets go out and look". We went out to his car and heres the story;

I had just met one of the most famous Indian Traders of the American Southwest! Francis Griswold was his name; he had been an Indian Trader since about 1900. He had just got out of prison and came up towards Durango to try to raise some cash. He stopped at every Trading Post from Gallup to Durango and nobody would even give him the time of Day.

Well, I opened the door of his old car to find Navajo Rugs from the 1880's to about 1955. I was totally blown away. Then I looked at the old pawn tags to find they had prices on them from the 1950's. For example, a 1930's 6' x 8' rug priced at $85.00. I said "what's the deal here?" He said, "I want 60% of the price they are marked! Whoa! I brought all of the Navajo's in and I bought them all.

I then asked him if he had any old Jewelry or other old Indian items, and he said he had a ton of stuff in Gallup. He didn't want me to come down as I think he wanted to see if my check would be good. He said he would bring some Jewelry up next week and I said OK.

Cologe of Killer Vintage Turquoise Jewelry - Native American

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In about a week Francis showed up. He had a box of old Jewelry, it was awesome as it was all from the 1920's - 1950's. He had brought about 300 rings, 100 bracelets, 100 pins, 3 Concho belts, 50 sets of Jatal's (JaClaws), 500 silver buttons and a bunch of old parts and pieces. Along with that he brought about 25 great old Navajo Saddle Blankets. A lot of the items still had the old pawn tags on them and the cost was stupidly cheap - I bought it all!

I asked Francis if he had many Concho belts and he said a couple of nurses from Santa Fe had came down to Gallup and bought most of them from him. I knew then I better get down there or someone else would get his stuff. I told him I wanted to come down and he finally said OK after much talking.

I had my old friend Punk Blackstone, (an old Railroad Conductor), and I went down to Gallup and went to Francis's house. It was an older house, the lawn looked like it had been dead forever. Anyway, the house was full of old Trading Post items such as Navajo wedding baskets, tanned hides, old pottery, Navajo velvet blouses full of silver buttons, paintings, Indian beadwork and other. It was truly an Indian Traders dream. The bedrooms had old Navajo rugs stacked on the beds, in the closets, in cedar chests and everywhere.

Francis started pulling out one Trader case after another of trays and trays full of old Indian Jewelry and old Pawn Jewelry and loads of Turquoise Chunk Necklaces. I was totally in heaven and Punk was totally floored with what he was seeing. I ended up buying about 5000 rings, 1500 bracelets, 50 Concho belts, 2500 pins, 500 squash blossom necklaces, 500 multi-stranded Turquoise chunk necklaces, 300 prs of earrings, 1000 sets of Jatals, bolos, buttons, silver beads, buckles, whisker pullers (silver tweezers) and bushel baskets of old silver single Conchos, squashes and parts.

I went ahead and picked out another 200 rugs, or so. Punk and I were in a total dream!

We took Francis out to diner and took off for Durango, Punk said, "You have just become one wealthy Trader, John", I was just in dream - Really! I had just purchased the largest old Indian Jewelry collection, most certainly, that had surfaced in the last 25 years.

Now, get this;

About a month later, I was telling another Trader in Gallup about my find and he asked me if I knew the Francis Griswold Story, I said no. So he told me.

In the mid 1950's, Francis was running the Trading Post when he discovered his wife had been cheating on him with another man (Navajo). Evidently, she came in the door of the Trading Post and Francis shot and killed her. There were customers/witnesses in the Trading Post at the time and he was convicted of murdering his wife. Francis must have had time to pack up his belongings prior to going to prison. I met him right after he got out of prison on a medical release.

I continued going to Gallup nearly every week and took Francis out to lunch or dinner. He was a very kind gentleman and I really enjoyed my friendship with him. Francis owned several Trading Posts in his life, Wide Ruins, Toawac, Fort Defiance and he either owned the Chilchimbito or was a partner in it.

I learned so much from Francis, he was very instrumental in the development of trade to the Navajos. He worked very hard in his life to help the Navajo people in many ways. He was a good Trader to the Navajo people and those who knew him, loved him.

I feel, the Vintage Turquoise Jewelry and other items that I have left from the Fort Defiance Trading Post collection are some of the most historic collectibles I own. I do sell Fort Defiance items and I give a letter of authenticity with them.

The Hartman Story

Durango Silver Company was established in 2000 by Dillon, John & Estell Hartman and was previously Hartman's of Durango. The Hartman's Have been in the Jewelry business since 1965. Dillon Hartman is the son of John & Estell Hartman and is the next generation of the jewelry business. We re-opened our retail gallery in Durango, Colorado in 2000 and have been stiving every since to creat excellent jewelry with highend stone. We have since become very involved in the Turquoise trade and are partners in several mines in Nevada. Every year we are moving more and more to the internet. Be watching us, we will be ever changing and expanding our catalog.

A little about John & Estell.... John and Estell Hartman, grew up in the southwest. They had been influenced their entire lives by the old west atmosphere that they lived in. John, started collecting Winchesters, Colts and Plains Indian Beadwork at the age of 12. Every Saturday morning at 5:AM he used to go to one of the first gun swaps in the nation. He used the money from my paper route to buy western collectibles. In growing up, one of his good friends was a native American, when they got out of high school, Steve and John rented a house together. Steve introduced Estell and John to Navajo Silver and they have admired and enjoyed it ever since.

After Estell and John got married, we decided to learn how to make silver jewelry and began teaching thenselves. They were very fortunate that several people helped them in learning the trade. They have been blessed in the jewelry business since. They started making our their jewelry as well as buying jewelry for the Navajo, Hopi and Zuni Indians they would then travel in the western U.S. to sell it at a profit. They did this for several years before they decided to settle down and build their own Trading Post.

In 1975, they purchased the property just west of Durango Colorado on the Hwy leading towards Mesa Verde National Park. John, and a friend built a large log, lodge type building, which was soon to become our Trading Post. They opened in 1976 dealing in antique firearms, antique Indian items, western memorabilia and jewelry. They have had a brisk business here in Durango since.

Browse Our Collection of Vintage Turquoise Jewelry

Dillon Hartman, John Hartman, Shellbone Williams

If you come to Durango, make certain you plan on visiting our Trading Company, it has become one of the most historic trading companies in the Four Corners region. Heading west from Durango towards Mesa Verde National Park, travel about four miles until you see a large log lodge building with a huge arch of deer antlers out front. This arch consists of over 3,600 deer and elk shed antlers from this area. It is an awesome site and you will want to take your pictures here.

Durango Silver Company is known worldwide for its southwestern style silver jewelry. You will find very unusual jewelry here that you will not find anywhere else. We have been makers of fine gold and silver jewelry for over 40 years now. We are known for our custom gold jewelry in which we use gold nuggets, elk teeth, high grade gold ore and fine stones. We use beautiful Bisbee Blue, Blue Gem, Villa Grove, and other rare American Turquoise in our jewelry. We are authorities and major enthusiasts of fine turquoise.

We have been in the Native American art, crafts and memorabilia business for over 40 years. You will find early American Frontier items such as Plains Indian beadwork, stone artifacts, Navajo rugs, baskets, old pawn jewelry, new American Indian jewelry, antique firearms, silver spurs and more!

Make certain you do not miss Durango Silver Company - It will be one of the highlights of your trip!

Open Monday - Saturday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM - May thru December and January thru April by appointment or chance.