Roderick Tenorio not Roderick Torino

Hello Paula,

Hope you can answer a question for me. I was in Santa Fee (years ago) and during the open market I purchased a sterling silver cuff bracelet from I thought the artist Roderick Torino.

It is stamped sterling with RMT and a symbol like a loop with 2 lines across it.

Is this his jewelry? What is the difference between the half-moon R and the one I have?

Does this mean he didn’t make it?

Renee

Hi Renee,

First of all, it is Roderick Tenorio, a Kewa (Santo Domingo Pueblo) artist who shares the hallmark with his wife Marilyn.

The hallmark you show is their hallmark.

When a piece also has the half moon and the R, it is an additional mark to indicate it is from the shop “Relios” which is now Carolyn Pollack Sterling Silver jewelry.

That group of hallmarks were on the bracelet in our pawn shop which is probably how you found us and why you wrote us.

Paula

What do the designs on the INSIDE of my cuff bracelet mean?

Hi Paula

Do you know what the symbolism is, if any, of the design on the inside of the Bruce Morgan cuff I just purchased?

I see that it is quite similar to the designs on the inside of the Mary and Ken Bill and the Mary Bill cuffs.  Jeff

Hi Jeff,

The artists that use the designs on the inside of the cuffs……..when I’ve commented on the designs, the reply is something like “just to show we care” or “to add something extra”. It is something like when I asked people in the Midwest who decorate the front of their houses with a kind of storybook trim…… when I asked “why?”, they said “for nice” !!

So not so much a symbolism as just an indication of craftsmanship. When the artists stamp the front, which requires quite a bit of force on a bracelet as thick as yours, the inside is against a heavy mandrel. By placing a design stamp there, they are just showing they can pull off two procedures at the same time and all looks nice.

Some Native American designs symbolize things while others are just an artist’s design, not meant to represent anything.

That’s all that I know…………if anyone else has something to add, please submit a comment.

Paula

Will this Bracelet Fit?

Hi Paula,

I love the bracelet # nbs351a or # nbs351b but I am unsure about the sizing
My wrist measures 7 inches.

I measured my bracelet and it measures 6 inches with a 1 1/4 inch opening .

Will one of these fit?

Alison

Hi Alison,

Regarding the Julia Smith Wide Repousee Cuff Bracelet

Just to clarify:
Your wrist measures 7″ around where you wear a bracelet?
And your current bracelet measures 6″ from end to end inside plus a 1 1/4″ opening for a total of 7 1/4″ inches?

If that is correct, then these bracelets which measure 6 3/8″ and 6 5/8″ (that is the total INCLUDING the gap)…would be too small.

I have a 6 7/8″ wrist and just tried to put on NBS351B and it was too small (which is logical since it is 6 5/8″) ………..I usually wear a 6 3/4″ to 6 7/8″ bracelet.

You need to look for bracelets in the 7″ section which is here.

7″ refers to the total size, which is usually about the same size as your wrist.

The bracelets are arranged on the page in the order of size….so once you get to 6 7/8″ just look at everything from there on down the page………..
let me know if you have any other questions.

Also, note that when you purchase a very wide cuff like the Repousse bracelets, you need to get a slightly larger bracelet than if you buy a skinny one………the wider cuffs cover more of your wrist and arm so need to be a little bit bigger……

Paula

What is the difference between cobblestone and cornrow inlay?

These techniques of setting stone against stone in a thick mosaic are related yet different. They are most often seen in Navajo stone work. Both methods require that each stone be rounded or beveled along its edges before being placed in the desired pattern.

Here is where the differences appear. Corn row refers to similar size pieces of stone set parallel, side by side in a neat row – the edges of each stone are usually rounded. Cobblestone refers to pieces that are fitted perpendicular or angled to each other like you’d see in a stone courtyard. Often cobblestone pieces vary in size and have beveled rather than rounded edges.

You can easily see why cobblestone inlay is called that if you’ve ever seen a cobblestone street in an old historic section of a US city or abroad. Besides cutting the stones so that they fit into an intricate pattern, the artist must also bevel each stone on every edge. This requires great skill and time and investment in materials.

A similar inlay pattern called cornrow has the stone pieces all laid parallel, like corn kernels on a cob.

Wide Sterling Silver Navajo or Hopi Overlay Cuff with T Hallmark

Hi Paula

I’m curious about the mark in a 2″ widest, cuff bracelet that appears to be overlay work.  Inside, the mark looks like a capital “T” with the word sterling printed under the mark.  The top center design is sunface and there are two bear claw designs, one on each side.  It measures 6 1/2″ around, from edge to edge.

I was not able to photograph the mark on the inside as it is not in the middle but near one end of the bracelet — it is a capital “T” with the word “sterling” underneath.  I believe it was bought in either Santa Fe or Taos about 25 years ago. Thanks for any info you can give me.

Thank you,  Penny

Hi Penny,

Your nice heavy overlay bracelet has a sunface and what the artists we talk to usually call badger paws although they say that the buying public would rather think of them as bear paws, so that’s OK with them too ! We’ve heard the stylized depiction such as on your bracelet referred to both ways.

According to Hallmarks of the Southwest by Barton Wright, the hallmark T has been attributed to Navajo artist Tommy Singer. Early on he used the T, TS and and variations of a T often accompanied by a quarter moon or bird form.

His more recent hallmarks are

T. Singer

THOMAS SINGER

Hallmark T. Singer

Hallmark THOMAS SINGER

Hallmark THOMAS SINGER

Since you said this was originally purchased 25 years ago, it is possible it is some of Tommy Singer’s earlier work, however without seeing the piece in person or seeing the hallmark it is hard to say positively.

Tommy Singer is more noted for chip inlay and storyteller pieces such as the examples that I have used here. I personally have not seen simple overlay like this by him, although I have seen such bracelets by a number of both Navajo and Hopi artists.

It is possible that this could be a Hopi bracelet or a Hopi style bracelet made by a Navajo artist that used the T hallmark. If you can send me a photo of the hallmark, maybe I can see something distinctive about the hallmark. Also a closeup of one of the paws, would allow me to see the black oxidation background better to see if it is textured or a flat wash. When I zoom in on the photos you sent, the dark background appears to be a flat wash, more typical of Navajo made Hopi style overlay.

Below, for example is a Hopi style overlay bracelet made by a Navajo artist. It had simple, clean lines, no decorative stamping or embellishments. The black background was a wash, not texturized. It was sent to us as a Hopi bracelet and from the photos sent to us, it could have been, but as soon as it arrived it was clearly Navajo made and by an artist we were familiar with. So making positive determinations strictly from photos is difficult. If you click on this bracelet photo you can see more specs about it in terms of size and weight. We received and sold this bracelet a few years ago in our pawn shop.

So the jury is still out, but here is some more info on Tommy Singer and Overlay.

Who is Tommy Singer?

Known world wide for his silver work, chip inlay and necklaces, Tommy Singer pieces are highly collectible and sought after. The Tommy Singer family has been involved in silversmithing, stone and beadwork for a very long time, handing the art down from one generation to another. Tommy Singer grew up on in the community of Dilcon on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona and has been attributed as the first Native American artist to use chip inlay. This is where a silver piece is decorated with turquoise or coral chips.

What is Overlay?

Overlay pieces are made of two layers. The bottom layer is a solid sterling silver piece. The top layer has a cutout design. The cutout is placed over the bottom layer and the two pieces are “sweated” together, that is heated so that they become one. The bottom layer (background to the cutout) is usually accented. The Navajo silversmiths oxidize the bottom layer which darkens it. Hopi silversmiths typically oxidize and etch the background (texturize it) with hashmarks.

How do I change the battery in my Native American watch cuff?

Hi Paula,

Some time ago my husband purchased a beautiful Tommy Moore silver cuff watch from you.  Now the battery needs replacing and we are wondering how this is done as the watch is enclosed in silver “fingers” (for lack of the proper term!). 

The jeweler says the silver “fingers” will have to be straightened or bent upward so the watch can be removed and it’s possible these will break thereby ruining the whole cuff.  The spring bars are located in blind holes and are not detectable from the outside case.  Is there a better way?  Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Wanda

 

Navajo Cuff Watch Showing Exterior Wings

Hi Wanda,

That is the way Navajo cuff watches are designed.

Yes, that is the way it is done.

The exterior (decorative) wings (see photo above) are opened up.

The watch face is held in place by a set of interior anchor tabs (see photo below).

The watch is slipped off the tabs, the battery replaced, the watch face returned to its spot. Tabs folded down, exterior wings folded down and and locked securely into place. 

Vintage Watch Cuff with Exterior Wings and Interior Tabs Opened

Most jewelers that have done it once or twice know how to do it.

Native American Bracelet and Cuff Watch Storage Ideas

This is my last (for a while) installment on the sterling silver storage theme.  And it will be short and sweet.

This system consists of a 17″ x 17″ x 5″ drawer lined with anti-tarnish cloth.

Leave a large flap of extra anti-tarnish cloth attached to the front of the drawer that can be folded over to use like a blankie to tuck the bracelets in.

The storage bars are moveable, they are not fixed. The are 3″ tall and 1 1/8 wide and 15″ long. If your bracelets have a 1″ gap, you will want to make the bars 7/8″ or 1″ wide or the bracelets won’t slip onto the bars.

The bracelet bars are covered in the anti-tarnish cloth. To keep the bars from rolling over, a foot is attached to the end of each bar and I put that end in the back of the drawer. The foot is made from 1 1/2″ lathe approximately 3″ long.

SY Hallmark on Big Navajo Cuff Bracelet

I’m glad I found this site. I just bought a bracelet from a lady, that her father bought in 1980 from a black lady at a flea market in S.C. . It is 151.1 grams a big cuff bracelet,stone Turq. 1″.5  by 1.5inch rain drops 24 2 sq. leaves fine work. Cuff opening 1.5 inch W. 2.25 It is singed S Y  Do you think this would be Steve Yellowhorse work? I was a picker for years, just got in to this Navajo stuff. So i’am green!

JV

We’ve had several posts about the SY hallmark you can read here

http://nativeamericanjewelrytips.wordpress.com/2010/07/30/native-american-hallmarks/

http://nativeamericanjewelrytips.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/native-american-hallmarks-internet-search-caution/

Hello again………Thanks I found out that it is by Sampson Yazzie he died in 2005 of age of 82 found a website on hall marks, http://www.art-amerindien.com/ JV

Hi JV,

Yes, I’ve perused that site also. Here is the page on Hallmarks

http://www.art-amerindien.com/signature_bijoux_amerindiens.htm

And when you go to the S page, you’ll see there is an SY hallmark with a question mark by it. We’ve purchased items by Shirley Yazzie with that hallmark. There is also S.Y. hallmark attributed to Sampson Yazzie.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Steve Yellowhorse uses SY but he also stamps a horse image by his initials.

So many beautiful vintage bracelets come into our pawn shop with no hallmarks……yet they are truly beautiful and valuable all the same.

Our Annual Native American Jewelry Buying Trip Reveals……..

We just got back from our annual spring buying trip where we seek out the new and beautiful items made by Native American artists in the southwest US.

Here is what we found. No surprise here. Because the prices of silver and gold are higher, the price of Native American jewelry is higher.

But you might not know this. Small things like earrings, pins and light bracelets are just not being made, so are not available.

Medium weight pieces are not as readily available as last year and those that are cost 1 1/2 to 2 times what they did last  year this time. The same item we might have purchased last year at 65 grams for $150 looks pretty much the same but now weighs only 52 grams and costs $225.

Heavy, quality pieces are available and they are where it seems artists are focusing their time.

So we have begun listing the treasures.

Visit our NEW page to see the latest and greatest !!

Santa Brought us Matching Nelvin Burbank Turquoise Spike Bracelets for Christmas

I fell in love with these bracelets when I first saw them but wondered if hubby would like so many stones…

Would he think it was too fancy, too risky to wear banging into stuff……..or would he think of them like I did – super cool “Spike” bracelets.

Well, I decided to take a chance and what a hit ! He LOVES his and we’ve been wearing them non-stop ever since Santa slid down the chimney.

Huge, big time treasures !!

 

Matching Nelvin Burbank Sterling Silver and Turquoise Bracelets

These honeys are fully stamped on the inside and on the outside ends.

Sterling Silver and Turquoise Bracelets by Nelvin Burbank, Navajo

 

Wow is all I can say.

Several of you were wondering about what I was going to give hubby but I didn’t want to spoil the surprise so didn’ t want to post the photos until now.

What do you think?