Here is a Tufa cast sterling silver cuff bracelet with a row of seed coral along one edge. Created by Navajo silversmith, Ira Custer. The tufa mold broke after casting this piece, so this bracelet is one-of-a-kind. There is a sun-rise design across the front of the bracelet.

The heavy bracelet measures 1" wide at the front, with an inside end-to-end measurement of 5-3/4" and a 1-1/4" non-adjustable gap. The bracelet weighs 103.3 grams. Brand new and in perfect condition. Gift Box and Certificate of Authenticity included. Hallmarked by the artist.

Ira Custer is a member of I.A.C.A. and I had the pleasure of meeting him and purchasing this bracelet and other jewelry directly from him at the 2009 spring IACA wholesale market.

About Ira Custer and Tufa Casting: Ira was born of the Bitter Water Clan & the Zuni clan. He began jewelry making actively in 1990. His background in silver-smithing came from his parents, Benny and Emily Custer and from his grandparents. His award winning pieces can be found in many fine galleries and museums across the North and Southwestern United States and as far east as Europe. He is currently using the Tufa stone (volcanic ash) process to cast his silver jewelry.

Typically a tufa stone is cut in half, then the design is carved into just one of the interior sides of the tufa stone. After the carving is done, the two halves of the tufa stones are tightly joined with a strip of rubber. A channel is cut from the top of the design, so that the molten silver can flow into the design. The tufa leaves a textured surface on the metal.