Ben Nighthorse Sterling Silver Multistone Inlay Ring, Northern Cheyenne Turquoise Coral Malachite MOP

This vintage sterling silver multistone inlay ring is signed BEN NIGHTHORSE — the hand-stamped hallmark of Ben Nighthorse Campbell (1933–2025), enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana and one of the Tribe’s Council of 44 Chiefs. An authentic Native American product under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, the very federal law Campbell co-sponsored as U.S. Senator from Colorado.

The artist:

Ben Nighthorse Campbell learned silversmithing as a boy, flattening silver dollars on railroad tracks with his father to trade for food. He went on to captain the U.S. Olympic Judo Team at the 1964 Tokyo Games, where he studied metal lamination under a Samurai swordmaker — a technique that became the foundation of his signature jewelry style. An enrolled Northern Cheyenne Chief, Campbell was granted exclusive tribal permission to use the sacred Morning Star symbol as his maker’s hallmark.

As the only Native American in the U.S. Senate during his tenure, Campbell authored the legislation that created the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. At its 2004 opening he said simply: “The circle is complete.”

Campbell passed away on December 30, 2025. His signed bench work is now a permanently closed body of art.

This ring:

Raised multistone inlay in Campbell’s signature style — precision-cut stones set in bezel-bordered cells rising proud of the sterling silver band. Four stones in his classic palette: turquoise, red coral, malachite, and mother of pearl. Clean linear arrangement across the top of the band. Signed BEN NIGHTHORSE on the interior with STERLING hallmark.

His work is held in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the Denver Art Museum, and the Arizona State Museum. Documented collectors include Mick Jagger, Robert Redford, and multiple U.S. presidents.

Details:

∙ Artist: Ben Nighthorse Campbell, enrolled Northern Cheyenne

∙ Tribal affiliation: Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana

∙ Hallmark: BEN NIGHTHORSE / STERLING

∙ Metal: Sterling silver 925

∙ Stones: Turquoise, red coral, malachite, mother of pearl

∙ Technique: Raised multistone inlay

∙ Ring size: 7.5

∙ Weight: 5.4g

∙ Era: Vintage, circa 1980s–1990s

∙ Provenance: Sourced from reputable Southwest auction house

∙ IACA compliance: Authentic Native American product, enrolled tribal member

PRICE: $650 free shipping