Does this Bennie Ration necklace come with a Notarized COA?

Paula,

Regarding

Bennie Ration – Navajo Sterling Silver
Eagle Kachina Pin Pendant
with Adjustable Feather Necklace Collar

 

Will this come with a Certificate of Authenticity, preferably notarized? And, is it suitable for a man to wear?

Larry

Good morning Larry,

No it does not come with any paperwork – it has the artist’s hallmark on the back.

You can read about authenticity here (I’ll paste the text from that page at the end of this post.)

http://www.horsekeeping.com/jewelry/Authenticity.htm

99% of Navajo, Hopi or Zuni jewelry comes with no paperwork, just the hallmarks.

It is suitable for a man or woman. However, the item is sold.

Thank you for your interest and let me know if I can answer any other questions.

Paula

Authenticity of Native American Jewelry

© 2011 Horsekeeping LLC © Copyright Information The authenticity of each jewelry item and artifact that we sell on Horsekeeping.com is confirmed in person by us or by our partners to be Native American made. We deal mainly with Native American Indian artists located in New Mexico and Arizona (the heart of Navajo, Hopi, Santo Domingo, Apache and Zuni country) and South Dakota (Oglala Lakota). In many cases, we purchase directly from the artists themselves. Buying in person allows us not only to confirm authenticity, but also to hand select the finest pieces, the best stones, and to learn interesting details about the people who make the jewelry. Jewelry that is Native American style but is made in China or the Philippines is NOT Native American made and legally cannot be called Native American. Yet it often is! These imported knockoffs hurt legitimate sellers and Native American craftspeople who are being forced out of the jewelry business because of the low prices charged for the fakes. If authenticity is important to you, buy only from reputable sellers who offer genuine Native American made merchandise. We at Horsekeeping.com describe our authentic Native American made items as “Native American”. When an item is NOT Native American made, we make sure you know that by calling it a Reproduction or putting it in our non-Native American section called the Bargain Barn. The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 states that “it is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian tribe.” Every item we offer as Native American made is in full compliance with this act. Certificates of Authenticity. Legally, only the artist who makes a piece can fill out and sign a Certificate of Authenticity (COA). Therefore, for us to send you a generic certificate serves no purpose. Only about a half dozen of the artists that we purchase from provide COAs. Of the rest, many of them sign or put a hallmark on their pieces. Some do not. Buying from reputable sellers is your main assurance that the Native American item you purchase is Native American made.

First Phase in Southwestern Native American Jewelry

The term “First Phase” is a historical term that refers to the early experimentation and development in jewelry by the southwestern Native American Indians.

It is generally though to be a period from approximately 1860-1900.

First Phase jewelery was made for personal use or for family or friends – it was not driven by commercial influences.

Sometimes First Phase is used to refer to the design styles from that era, so a bracelet made to look like a First Phase bracelet would be “First Phase Style” but not First Phase itself. This is an important distinction that should be used when describing items.

Between 1900-1930, tourism grew and Native American jewelry began being influenced by commercialism – what would sell. This is sometimes referred to as the Transitional Period.

To see more views of the items pictured and learn more about their estimated age, click on the photos.

Old Hallmark with Symbols

Hi Paula,

You were referred to me as someone friendly who could help me with a makers mark on a jewelry item. I am generally very good at this, but this mark seems older, not in my books. Thank you in advance for any info you can provide. I think it’s Navajo 1930′s or 40′s.

Mike

What a beautiful bracelet Mike, the stones are exquisite.

As far as the hallmark, the lower portion could either be a snowflake, a star or the sun but since the upper portion seems to be rays, one would think a star or the sun, most likely the sun. And yet, I know of no such hallmark.

Perhaps you have since discovered whose hallmark this is. If so, please let the rest of us know. If not, perhaps another reader might recognize it.

Paula

Flea Market ring needs repair and hallmark ID

Hi Paula,

I recently picked up this ring at a flea market and would like to get it repaired. There is a piece of corral missing and on the second tip a silver ball is gone.

I remember reading an article you had about someone that did jewelry repair and would like your opinion on where I should send it.

Also, the mark inside is a D Sterling C Can you tell me who designed this ring?

Thanks for your help and I love reading all your posts on Native American jewelry,

Sandy

Hi Sandy,

I’ve already replied to you with the repair contact which is also in this article about my bracelet repair.

As far as the hallmark, I don’t know for sure so I thought I’d post the ring so others could suggest possibilities.  I’ve seen some similar items by the Navajo family with the last name Clark but I’d be guessing. Maybe someone else recognizes the hallmark and work definitively.

Paula

Tom and Sue Kee – it should be Sylvia Kee

Ten years ago, when I first started working here one of the very first items I listed was a vintage storyteller bracelet by Navajo silversmiths Tom and Sue Kee. I put it in the pawn shop.

The bracelet had the hallmark TSK and a hogan. I was told by several people more experienced than me that it was the hallmark of Tom and Sue Kee, Navajo husband and wife silversmiths who specialized in storyteller items.

“The Little Book of Marks on Southwestern Silver: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds and Traders” by Bille Hougart states the same thing on page 181 – that the hallmark is shared by Tom and Sue Kee.

And so over the years, I’ve listed barrettes, bracelets and all kinds of things attributed to Tom and Sue Kee.

Then the other day, when I got to work, there was a message on the answering machine something like this
“Hi Paula, This is Sylvia Kee. I see on the internet you have the storyteller bracelets by Tom and Sue Kee. It should be Sylvia Kee. I thought you would like to know.”

Sylvia, I wish I had been here to talk with you or that you left your phone number……..but anyway, I did some more digging and heard that years ago Tom and Sylvia had made some jewelry for a store and when Sylvia signed for the payment, her signature was misinterpreted as Sue – and it STUCK !!

Thanks for bringing this to our attention Sylvia. We have corrected our website listings.

Southwest Art Defined

I was contacted a while back about permission to use one of the photos from our website in a book. I gave that permission and then forgot about it.

So I was surprised when we received a thank you note and complimentary copy of  a lovely new book “Southwest Art Defined: An Illustrated Guide” by Margaret Moore Booker and published by Rio Nuevo Publishers.

It is a beautiful 11″ x 9 1/4″ hardbound book with dust jacket. Here is what the publisher says

Southwest Art Defined, by Santa Fe author Margaret Moore Booker, is now available! This beautiful hardcover book brings the traditional arts of the Southwest are brought together in one volume for the first time. Almost 500 comprehensive descriptions of Native American and Hispano art are accompanied by 370 full-color photographs of art from museums, galleries, and private collections. Lose yourself in the stunning pottery, textiles, jewelry, carvings, and architecture of the Southwest.

Are the heishi necklaces signed?

Hi Paula,
A year ago i bought a T.Singer bracelet from you.
Now i am interested in purchasing 2 necklaces by Frank Ortiz—#NH 882 & #NH 883 but first 2 questions.
#1. Are the necklaces signed, stamped by Frank ?
#2. Do you include a Cert. of Authenticity for each ?  Thanks for your attention to this email.
Steve

Frank Ortiz Coral and Sterling Silver Necklace

Hi Steve,

As far as necklaces, the only way an artist could sign one is to include a disc or plate with their hallmark on it and string that on the end of the necklace. Some Navajo Pearl bead makers do that or stamp the last bead with their hallmark. But I know of no heishi maker that includes a hallmark. Tommy Singer and his son Richard do put name plates on their large gemstone necklaces, but that is about the only stone necklace signature I can think of.

Tommy Singer hallmark plate

Richard Singer Hallmark Plate

As far as Certificates of Authenticity……here from our website……….

The authenticity of each jewelry item and artifact that we sell on Horsekeeping.com is confirmed in person by us or by our partners to be Native American made. We deal mainly with Native American Indian artists located in New Mexico and Arizona (the heart of Navajo, Hopi, Santo Domingo, Apache and Zuni country) and South Dakota (Oglala Lakota). In many cases, we purchase directly from the artists themselves. Buying in person allows us not only to confirm authenticity, but also to hand select the finest pieces, the best stones, and to learn interesting details about the people who make the jewelry.

Jewelry that is Native American style but is made in China or the Philippines is NOT Native American made and legally cannot be called Native American. Yet it often is! These imported knockoffs hurt legitimate sellers and Native American craftspeople who are being forced out of the jewelry business because of the low prices charged for the fakes.

If authenticity is important to you, buy only from reputable sellers who offer genuine Native American made merchandise. We at Horsekeeping.com describe our authentic Native American made items as “Native American”. When an item is NOT Native American made, we make sure you know that by calling it a Reproduction or putting it in our non-Native American section called the Bargain Barn.

The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 states that “it is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian tribe.”

Every item we offer as Native American made is in full compliance with this act.

Certificates of Authenticity. Legally, only the artist who makes a piece can fill out and sign a Certificate of Authenticity (COA). Therefore, for us to send you a generic certificate serves no purpose. Only about a half dozen of the artists that we purchase from provide COAs. Of the rest, many of them sign or put a hallmark on their pieces. Some do not. Buying from reputable sellers is your main assurance that the Native American item you purchase is Native American made.

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

Who is the artist and do you sell on consignment?

Hi Paula,

Could you let me know if you know the artist and if you sell on consignment?

Brian

Hi Brian,

That is a nice vintage claw ring you have. The signature made on the back with an inscriber or and “electric pencil” as the Native American artists call it……….looks like Michael M which could be quite a few artists. Hallmark stamps are usually more definitive but I can’t really say for sure who made the claw ring  – but nice turquoise !!

As far as consignment, let me take this opportunity to define that.

Consignment is when the owner of an item places it with a seller hoping that the seller can market the item and then send the owner a portion of the proceeds. Oh my gosh, just thinking about all that paperwork and keeping track of this and that makes my head spin !!

No, we don’t take items on consignment. But we do purchase Native American jewelery (several lots a week) as outlined in my article “Do we Buy Native American Jewelry?”.

Turquoise Inlay Navajo Pearls

I received a beautiful set of vintage sterling silver and turquoise Navajo Pearls last year  – They are inscribed with “MW” on a hallmark disk.

This is the first necklace like this I’ve seen so I asked some friends who have been in the NA jewelry business their whole lives about the necklace and thought I’d share what they said.

I was told the beads were made by in the mid 1970s by Navajo silversmith Martha Wilson and the inlay was done by a Zuni artist, Rosemary White.  Martha Wilson worked out of the Bluewater Lake area.  Has anyone else seen Navajo Pearls like this?  Paula