Are these items even Native American made?

Hi Paula
I am trying to find out any information about the two necklaces in the attached photo, like which Native American tribe may have made them (if they are indeed genuinely made by a Native American). It seems like you may be quite knowledgable about these things so if you have any ideas I’d love to hear them!
Kind regards
Heidi

Hi Heidi,

Thank you. I am very interested and immersed in my work so I have gathered some knowledge about Native American jewelry over the years but there is so much more to know.  That’s why I like to post these questions here on this blog to attract comments from others.

The necklace on the right certainly seems like it could be Navajo made. It has the look of a sterling silver necklace, simple but similar in layout to a squash blossom necklace. When I enlarge the photo, the beads seem to be hand made, not bench beads. It is a very nice necklace which I feel pretty certain would have been Navajo made.

The necklace on the left however, although very attractive, does not seem to be Native American made. The first thing that caught my eye was the brass beads which say India to me. The horizontal brass spacers between the brass beads are also not a design element associated with Native American jewelry. It seems the long dark beads and the shorter tube beads are made from horn or bone, again something I’d tend to associate with India or Africa. The rondelle beads which make up the majority of the necklace also could be bone……or perhaps they and the shorter tube beads are some sort of ivory. These things are hard to tell from a single photo.

Of course, many things can be determined definitively when viewing an item in person – using one photo is just guesswork.

It will be interesting to see what other readers think.

Paula

The 1970s Native American Jewelry Boom

Did you ever wonder why there are so many Native American jewelry items from the late 1960s and early 1970s?

Those were the times of peace and love, alternative dress, hippies, movie stars going wild and a big publicity boost for Native American jewelry from Arizona Highways magazine and other publications.

Although many celebrities began wearing Native American jewelry in the late 60s and early 70s, perhaps two of the most influential were Jim Morrison of the Doors and Cher.

Jim Morrison of The Doors

During the late 1960s when the Doors were at the height of their fame, Jim Morrison bought a concho belt from Wayne and Irma Bailey when they were traveling in California.  Joe H. Quintana (1915-1991), a Cochiti Pueblo master silversmith was the maker of this famous belt.  Quintana likely made the belt in 1966 or 1967 when he worked for Irma Bailey’s Indian Art & Pawn on the Old Town Plaza in Albuquerque.

Cher wearing a squash blossom necklace and other turquoise jewelry

The Sonny and Cher Show

Cher (Cherilyn Sarkisian of Armenian, Irish, German, English and Cherokee descent) has used Native American jewelry and accents throughout her career from 1965 and has had a dramatic influence on fashion. Her album Half Breed was release in 1973.

As a result of such publicity, everyone wanted some of the action !!

One of the most popular items made in the 1970s were squash blossom necklaces. There was a huge demand for them. It is also one of the most common vintage items offered to us today. The retail price of a squash blossom necklace during the early 1970s boom was the same or higher than the same item today. And often they were full size, heavy and ornate, something that doesn’t sell well today because a good number of people would rather wear than collect Native American jewelry.

During the boom some beautiful items were made. However, to cash in on the demand, some shops and silversmiths cranked out the items, sometimes with inferior workmanship and maybe the work wasn’t even done by Native American artists.

One thing that wasn’t skimped on was the sterling silver. Silver was only  $1.29 per ounce when Jim Morrison’s belt was made in 1966. Today silver is trading at $27.27 per ounce.  Read more about silver prices here. How Silver Price Affects the Value of Native American Jewelry

Back in the late 1960s there was ample US mined turquoise around to fill needs but as demand rose, Persian turquoise began to be imported from Iran.  In the 1970s a one carat U.S. turquoise stone would be considered expensive at $1. Today some of the more sought-after U.S. turquoise can cost up to $100 per carat.

Because of the great demand, the 1970s experienced the first BIG influx of imported copies and reproductions which gave some people the idea that Native American jewelry was chintzy and poorly made.

The boom crashed about the mid seventies when the fashion cycle started changing and the silver price started rising, hitting an artificially inflated high near $50 per ounce in the late seventies.

More Heishi Fit Notes – Choosing the Correct Length

When buying heishi necklaces, first you need to know how the artist or seller measures their heishi necklaces.

Many heishi makers sell their heishi by length of material used, so 19″ of turquoise heishi might be sold as 19″ …………but with a hook and eye and the bit of slack incorporated in the necklace to make it hang right, the actual necklace wearing length might be closer to 19 3/4″.

For chokers especially, each of us has a particular length we like to wear that suits our physique and clothing necklines. That’s when measurement become particularly important.

Here at horsekeeping, we measure from the tip of the hook to the eye on the other end. That represents the actual end-to-end wearing length.

This results in most thin to medium heishi fitting well……..

but when you are purchasing very thick heishi, necklaces that are 3/8″ thick or more, you should compensate and purchase a necklace that is 1/4″ to 3/4″ longer than your usual length. That’s because the thicker heishi sits away from your neck so some of the end-to-end length is taken up to make the circle around your neck.

The same principle applies to Navajo Pearls. If you wear an 18″ 4mm silver bead necklace, when buying a 14 mm necklace, you might need almost a 19″ long if you want it to sit in the same place on your neckline.

We provide measurements. The best way to get a good fit is to measure a similar necklace you already have that fits you well and compare it to the measurements indicated for the item.

Here’s to beautiful, well-fitting heishi !

Paula

What mine is this turquoise from and what is the value of this squash blossom necklace?

Hello Paula,

All of the black matrix you see contains pyrite; some dark spots in the photo are exclusively pyrite. Most are mixed with the black matrix, however. Notice the quarter for size comparison. All the stones rise at least 1/8″ above their settings, and some rise as high as 1/4″ or higher. Amazing, right? The earrings appear to have hand engraved rising suns on them (the suns are not identical, causing me to think they were hand carved, however they may have been distorted during the shaping of the petals?). I love this necklace so much, as both my folks have passed. Knowing they wanted me to have it makes me feel very blessed.

I sent you the photo in natural undirected sunlight, but I also took a couple pics in direct sunlight around 8:00 this morning, before the skies became overcast (we’re expecting freezing rain here in northwest Ohio this evening. great). If you want me to send a photo of the piece in direct sunlight, I can. The pyrite shows up better in the sun.

Much to my delight, I rediscovered the Fred Harvey bracelet my parents gave me as a child, and set it next to the necklace for you to look at as well. I had a copper one also, but I hated it, and either traded it for a plastic animal with one of my childhood friends or threw it out altogether. Regrets!!!

If you venture a guess on the value of these pieces as you try to determine the mine this turquoise is from, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Sydney

Good morning Sydney,

Beautiful sentimental treasure.

Without seeing it in person, I can’t say for sure, but I’d narrow it down to Blue Diamond, Kingman or Morenci.

We don’t appraise or give value from photos.

Enjoy ! That’s the main thing. Turquoise has a great power and feel to it.

I’m going to post the photo of your necklace on my blog so if anyone else has other ideas on the stones, they can chime in.

Paula

Dear Paula,

Thank you so much for your input, I appreciate it very much. Per your knowledge of turquoise and my further research, I am pretty sure the stones in my squash blossom necklace are from the Blue Diamond hat mine. I’m pretty happy about that. I knew it started production in the 1950′s and stopped in the 80′s. The mine is now buried under thousands of tons of rock, making Blue Diamond turquoise highly collectible today.

In the descriptions I’ve read, Blue Diamond is known for the triangular-shaped black chert, which is readily seen in the stones of my necklace. This is why I believe my stones are Blue Diamond. Plus, the pyrite is not silver colored as in the Kingman turquoise. Morenci turquoise doesn’t exhibit the black chert so recognizable in Blue Diamond. So, by process of elimination, I have concluded my squash blossom stones are Blue Diamond turquoise.

It will be interesting to read the input from your blog after you post the photo of the necklace. I’m no expert, but as in all things, when I become interested in something, I become a super sleuth until my desire for knowledge has been satiated. I too welcome your readers’ input.

Thank you for indulging me with this sleuthing, it’s been much fun, and of course I love the products on Horsekeeping,com.

Blessings,

Sydney

Is the Turquoise in the Heishi Necklaces Real?

Hi Paula,

I received my package today. Thank you for such a careful and professional packing, fast delivery and beautiful necklace. I do have a question. Is the tourquoise stablized and dyed or stablized but real? Is it chalk tourquoise? I am sure I will wear it to death because it is what I wanted and the price is excellent. I am just curious. Please let me know. Thanks. Shelly

Hi Shelly.

Most of your questions are answered here in an article where I try to describe all the forms of turquoise – All About Turquoise.

Most heishi turquoise is stabilized because if it wasn’t, it would be brittle and could crack. Also, when natural turquoise comes in contact with skin oils of the neck area, it would become discolored. So stabilization helps prevent that too. Some turquoise heishi is enhanced which further strengthens it and could make its color more vivid. You’ll read about these terms in that article.

When you say chalk turquoise, are you referring to “block turquoise”?  Block turquoise is a manufactured composite product, with little if any real turquoise in it. No, the turquoise heishi necklaces are not block turquoise. Most are stabilized real turquoise, some are also enhanced.

Hooks on Native American Necklaces

Dear Paula,

I foolishly went to bed last night with my new coral necklace hooked around my neck.

I woke up in the morning and it was gone.

I could have lost it at the shops as I was in and out of bed trying to get to sleep and then we went to the shops late last night, I have searched all the crevices of my room and all places and it is just gone.

That hook they use at the back, I should have bent it shut if I wanted to leave it on, that’s what I do with my other hooks or I should have just taken it off before I go to bed.

What a shame! I scrimped and saved for that necklace and I so loved it, it was one-of a kind vintage!

Please get back to me any advice you do have about those hooks they use, and please help me for next time!

Thanks, Ruby

PS  My adopted Dad just found it! I am so pleased!  It was in between the doorway of my room and the hall way.

I have bent the hook shut, and can take it off over my head when I shower.

Any advice would still be appreciated.

Thanks

Love Ruby

Hi Ruby, Phew !! That’s good news. Yes, bend the hook shut like you did – that’s what most people do who want to take a necklace on and off over their heads. Traditionally the hooks are left open at first because some people have arthritis or other difficulty with their hands and need a big open hook in order to get it fastened.

Usually when a necklace is hanging straight down it won’t come unfastened. I can see where it would come off if you wore it to bed. But like you found, it is easy to squish the hook closed for more security.

Paula

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

Paula – What is my Squash Blossom Necklace Worth?

Every week I receive over a dozen queries such as this:

Hi Paula,
I have a necklace that belongs to my sister. Her husband died, and she is trying to liquidate some of her assets. Where can I find out how much it is worth, and where can I sell it for her? We have been to the local jewelers, and he said it was silver. It has several turquoise stones. I think it is called a squash necklace. Thank you for your help, June

Usually I reply suggesting the person read this article which provides much valuable information about selling used Native American jewelry to us.

Do we Buy Native American Jewelry?

It outlines the process we use and it also lists the various factors that affect price.

• Authenticity

• Documentation

• Hallmarks

• The artist’s reputation

• The scarcity of the artist’s work

• The age of the piece

• The quality of workmanship

• The condition (see specifics below)

• The weight of sterling silver and gold used

• The quality and size of the stones used

• The overall aesthetics of the piece.

In addition, the scale of the piece will also affect price. Many people today shop for items of wearable art so look for pieces that aren’t too large, long or heavy. Many squash blossom necklaces are beautiful but are too much necklace for many people to wear. The same goes for some of the masterpiece bracelets – beautiful to look at but impractical to wear.

Size also is a big factor – we have a good idea of what sizes of bracelets and rings sell the best for us and also the length of necklaces that are most popular. We take all of these things into consideration.

It is not uncommon for someone to write us hoping an item will bring $1500 when in fact its current value is about $300. Really the best way to find value is to send or take the item to a person experienced and knowledgeable about Native American jewelry.  (If you take your items to a pawn shop, if the items are sterling silver, you will likely be offered scrap or melt value. That will be the subject of a future article.)

If you don’t want to ship the items and you don’t have a local expert, one good way to get an idea of what your item would sell for is to use eBay as a reference tool. The eBay marketplace will give you a rough idea of retail value since most of the shoppers there are individuals like you.  There are very specific ways to drill down to an accurate market value of a piece.

First log on to eBay

In the search box type in a description that you think another seller might use to describe your piece.

Let’s use “turquoise squash blossom necklace”.  Type that in and then click on Search. In my example you’ll see that search turned up 497 items. (By the way, if you are having trouble reading these screen shots of eBay, hit CTRL +++ to enlarge the font on your screen.)

In the left hand column, under categories, click on Ethnic, Regional and Tribal

That reduces the group to 324 items.

In the left hand column, click on Native American

That reduces the group to 301 items.

This shows the items currently for sale that are like your item. You can browse through this list to see what sellers are currently ASKING for their pieces but a MUCH BETTER  way to learn what your item is worth, is the following.

Next to the blue SEARCH button in the upper right of the screen is the word Advanced. Click on that.

It will take you to this screen.

Look for the section that is headed

Search including (at the bottom of the above screen shot)

and click on the box in front of

Completed listings

This will take you to a page (in my example) with 912 items that were listed with the words “turquoise squash blossom necklace” and were in the Native American category and that either sold or went unsold within the last  60 days. If you have your eBay window set to show 100 items per page, you will have 9 long pages to scroll through !!  Get that cup of coffee !

As you browse note this. Toward the right hand side of each listing, if the price is in red that means the item didn’t get a single bid and didn’t sell.

If the item price is green and there is a SOLD box near it, that means the item sold for that price.

When you find an item that looks similar to yours, you can click on the item and it will take you to that item’s individual page where you can find out more information such as age, whether sterling, weight, condition, hallmarks and you can usually see a number of better close-up photos to help you compare the item to the one you are trying to evaluate. Cracked stones, missing pieces and other damage really lower an item’s price.

So if you see a similar item to yours and it sold for $100, that give you a ballpark idea of what the market will bear – what your item is worth out there in the real world of buyers.  What the market is willing to pay.

If you see a similar item to your own that has a price of $800 but the item is UNSOLD, all that tells you is that someone asked $800 for it but didn’t get it. Often when you scroll through listings you will see the same item appear several times  – as each auction expires, the item goes unsold and the seller relists it.  You might see the price lowering over time or the seller might invite offers with the Best Offer feature.

The bottom line is, the best way to find out what your items are worth is to find a person knowledgeable and experienced in Native American jewelry. You can also use eBay to help you get a ball park figure on what an item similar to yours has sold for in the recent past.

Best of luck and soon I will write an article about melt value and another with advice on what listing your item on eBay entails.

 Enjoy that beautiful jewelry !! Paula

 

Navajo Pearls – Why are the heavier beads less expensive?

Good morning Paula,

I am interested in your Navajo Pearl necklaces. I was wondering why the Lilian Yazzie 16-10 mm graduated necklace (BD757) costs $345 @68 grams while her 20 inch 9mm necklace @55grams costs over $100 more (priced at $460)?  Lori

Navajo Sterling Silver Beads by Lily Yazzie
Graduated 10mm – 16mm
Stamped; Adjustable; 68 grams; $345

Navajo Sterling Silver Beads by Lily Yazzie
Stamped; 9mm; 20″; 55 grams
$460

Hi Lori,

Good question and not the first time someone has asked.

Our prices are really dictated by what the artist asks for at item and it will be based on WHEN we bought an item.

So some items we purchased 3 years ago will be less expensive than the same or an even “lesser” (weight) item item today based on the silver price.

The only time we raise prices is when we go to replenish our supply of a certain item and the artist has raised their price since the last time we purchased from them.

We like to leave items at their “old prices” so people can find bargains. You’ll see what I mean if you visit either the silver or stone bracelet pages – you will see some bracelets between $100 and $200 that we bought several years ago and we’ve left them at their old price. On the same group page you will see similar bracelets priced over $100 more – those are the ones we bought this year !!

Thanks for the question and I hope you find some Navajo Pearls you like!!

 Paula

Necklace Extenders

Paula,

I love my 17 1/2″ silver bead necklace as a choker but sometimes I want to wear it over a collar or longer with a pendant. Do you have something I can use to make it longer?

Kary

Hi Kary,

We have a few sterling silver necklace extenders. Depending on what kind of necklace you have and how long you want to lengthen it, perhaps one of the following would be helpful.

If you have a bench bead necklace that is approximately 9mm, perhaps something like this 8 bead  extender might work. It is 3 3/4″ long.

An 8 bead 9 mm sterling silver bench bead necklace extender

We also have some chain extenders that would work with any necklace.

Sterling silver chain extender for necklaces

Some necklace come with a chain already on them. But having a separate chain extender allows you to use it with any necklace.

AND what is also very good about using a chain extender like this is that  you can make small adjustments in length to get the necklace (or pendant) to hang at just the right spot.