Delbert Gordon – Self-Taught Navajo Silversmith & Goldsmith

About Delbert Gordon

Delbert Gordon was born in 1955 in Fort Defiance, Arizona — the site of one of the oldest trading posts in Navajo country — and was raised in Tohatchi, New Mexico. Unlike many of his contemporaries who learned directly from a parent, Delbert is largely self-taught in both silversmithing and goldsmithing, developing his skills independently rather than through formal family instruction.

That self-taught foundation didn't stop Delbert from becoming a teacher himself. He has mentored numerous other silversmiths over the course of his career, including his own nephew, Derrick Gordon, who went on to build a respected reputation of his own. This kind of teaching legacy, where a self-taught artist becomes the source of instruction for the next generation, represents an important thread in how Navajo silversmithing knowledge continues to spread beyond strictly bloodline transmission.

Identifying Delbert Gordon's Work

His hallmark reads D Gordon.

Style & Legacy

Delbert's dual expertise in both silver and gold work gives him range beyond many silver-only smiths, and his role as a mentor to other artists, including within his own family, has helped extend his influence well past his own individual body of work.

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