Our Story
Waddell Trading Company continues an Indian art and jewelry business that was started in the late 1930’s by my parents, B.C. and Jean Waddell. Their trading post, the “West Y” was in Gallup, New Mexico. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, their business focused on mining, prospecting, brokering and selling turquoise. They were also major dealers in Navajo weavings and western Apache baskets. Some of the turquoise mines that operated during that time period were Bisbee, Blue Gem, Castle Dome, Kingman, Lone Mountain, Morenci, #8, and the Fox mine which my father was part owner.
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- West Y Trading Post Gallup, New Mexico circa 1940′s.
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- B.C. and Jean Waddell at their home in Globe, Arizona in the 1950′s
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- Jean holding her twin boys Gene and Roy in front of the West Y Trading post in 1949.
In 1973, my wife, Ann, and I began working in the business with my parents. We started out as cutters, which was fashioning rough turquoise into cabochons and then selling the cut stones to Indian jewelers, traders and collectors. By 1979, we became part owners of the famed Lone Mountain turquoise mine near Tonopah, Nevada. This opened the opportunity for Waddell Trading Company to begin selling Lone Mountain turquoise to many jewelry artists such as Charles Loloma, Harvey Begay, James Little, Larry Golsh, and Richard Chavez.
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- Gene, twin brother Roy, and B.C. in 1973.
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- Gene and Ann learning to cut turquoise from Cal Johnson in Globe, Arizona in 1972.
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- Charles Loloma and Gene looking for turquoise at Lone Mountain in 1982.
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- December 1980 Article in The Arizona Republic. Gene and Larry Golsh talk Lone Mountain turquoise.
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- Jean Waddell teaching young Gene Waddell how to grade turquoise in 1974.
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- B.C. Waddell (driving the tractor) help his son Gene Waddell (yellow shirt) open the Lone Mountain turquoise mine in 1980.
The Trading Company started working directly with up and coming artists in 1982. Some of these artists included Charles and Don Supplee, Roy Talahaftewa, Phil Poseyesva, Thomas Jim, Al Nez, and Mary Marie Lincoln, just to name a few. This is when I started our long time friendship with Lee Yazzie, possibly the finest Navajo jeweler of our time. I have been Lee’s sole representative since then.
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- Lee Yazzie working at his home in Gallup, New Mexico in the early 1980′s.
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- Thomas at his workshop in Winslow, Arizona in the late 1980′s.
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- Charles Supplee working at our shop in Tempe, Arizona in 1989.
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- Gene meeting with Phil Poseyesva in Hopi in the late 1980′s. At the time we were working with 25 jewelers in Hopi.
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- Roy Talahaftewa “Best of Show” winner in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Late 1980′s.
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- Gene meeting Al Nez in Flagstaff, Arizona. Early 1990′s.
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- Don Supplee at the Buffalo Bill Museum Show in Cody, WY where he was a guest artist in 1999.
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- Gene and Lee Yazzie at the Lone Mountain turquoise Mine. Doing a photo shoot for Dexter Cirrilo’s book in 2007.
Today as a 3rd generation trading company with our children, Mike and Lisa, we have developed into one of the finest Indian jewelry galleries in the country. We feature the finest in historic and contemporary jewelry with an eye to collector quality natural southwestern turquoise. What makes us unique is the quality of the jewelry created by the master jewelers we feature and represent. They are award-winning artists who are featured in major southwestern books and museum collections. They are the best.
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- Gallery on Main Street.
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- Gallery Opening during Heard Museum Show weekend.
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- Cody High Style Fashion Show 2009 Cody, Wyoming.
Waddell Trading Company has participated in many exhibits and shows throughout the country and has been mentioned in various books and magazines. Gregory Schaff, Ph.D., who has written 8 books on Indian art, lists Waddell Trading Company as one of the favorite places to buy turquoise jewelry. Lois and Jerry Jacka acknowledges Waddell Trading Company in their award winning books Beyond Traditions and Enduring Traditions and states, “Over the years, Waddell Trading Company has established a reputation for representing the finest Hopi and Navajo artists. Their meticulous attention to detail is evident with each artist and we can always relay on them to provide the best in Native American art.”
Our Team
Mike Waddell, Natalie Waddell, Ann Waddell, Gene Waddell, Lisa Waddell, and Erik Van Itallie.