Looking for a Peterson Johnson Pendant

Paula,

I have three pendant necklaces from Peterson Johnson and am looking for a fourth one. I love his designs and the store I had purchased them from in Wilkes Barre, PA no longer sells them. I love the blue turquoise, or green stones if possible. Do you carry anything like this, or know where I could find one?

Thanks, Kim

Hi Kim,

We just got in a batch of beautiful stone pendants made by Peterson Johnson. You can see them all by visiting the Stone Pendant Page but here are a few samples. His work is exceptional and unmistakable.

Paula

Lapis Pendant by Navajo artist Peterson Johnson, complete with hand made chain

Denim Lapis Pendant by Navajo artist Peterson Johnson

What is this Cracked Turquoise Pendant Worth?

Hi Paula,

I have a turquoise pendant that I was wondering what it might be
worth and who the designer might be.  There is no hallmark that I can
find; as you can see there’s a pretty large crack in the stone.
Jay

Hi Jay,

We don’t do appraisals from photos. We only do appraisals if someone sends items to us that they want to sell.

What I can tell you about this item is this:

Although it was once a pretty pendant, I doubt that it was Native American made as it doesn’t have any characteristics that I am familiar with and has several characteristics that are not Native American.

925 indicates that the metal portion is sterling silver.

I have no idea what the smaller gemstones are – addition of such stones, whether real or imitation, is not characteristic of Native American silversmiths. If you think the item did have value at one time, you might want to take it to a jeweler to have the stones tested.

The crack in the turquoise depreciates the value of the item to about 10% of its undamaged value. And whether that is real turquoise could only be determined on physical inspection.

We occasional get items like this is estate collections. Since the item can not be authenticated and is damaged, what we do is put them in with a group of other sterling silver items in our Bargain Barn as a lot.

I invite other readers to add their comments if they recognize something in the pendant that would be helpful to Jay.

Mid-1950s Squash Blossom Necklace – LAVOI hallmark

Dear Paula -

Thank you for your helpful tips on photographing and presenting the photos for your inspection.  Hope the attached photos are good for viewing and downloading.

 Zuni Squash Blossom Necklace Background

Bought by my dad at J.B. Hudson Jewelers, a high-end store, in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. My mom remembers receiving it “before kids” in the mid-late 1950′s. She thinks there is a photo of her wearing it from that time. She reports that broke it cleaning it, and had it restrung by the same dealer. Looks like a strong “tigertail” cord with silver findings to match.

she does not remember what it orginally was strung on. All the same beads were used in the restringing repair.

Appears to be Sterling Silver, but no stamp indicating that.

Pendant: 5.5 cm in diameter at widest (2 1/4″). Heavy sterling silver for sure. Feels heavy.

Stone: Slightly Irregular Ovoid, Bezel setting, probably Natural Turquoise, mine unknown. Matrix is dark brown/black (pyrite?) with coppery shine in certain light. Some small white flecks throughout.  Size 1.5 cm wide x 1.8 cm long

Each single side of necklace is 28 cm long, not inluding hook and jump ring. Made up of elongated beachs and round beads (melon, seamed?)

 Some signs of wear. Mom didn’t wear it that often.

 Designer hallmark on back – Can’t find a similar one in my research. 

Unknown. Hope you can make it out!

 Though simple and less ornate than others I’ve seen, it it quite striking to me. Like a sculpture in miniature.

 Thank you for your time and expertise.

Sincerely, Martha

Hi Martha ,

Nice job on the photos and very nice necklace !

I have no information on a LAVOI or anything close to that.

I’d say this is a Navajo piece, not Zuni.

The beads appear to be bench-made round and melon beads.

The Naja looks very shiny for 60+ years old – perhaps it has been polished?  Sometimes when someone is preparing a piece like this for sale, the seller is tempted to polish the item but that actually decreases the value. The patina adds to its appeal. To me is seems like the naja pendant now looks quite a different color than the beads. Is that how they look in person?

Usually its best to leave the patina on a vintage item when you are selling and let the new owner decide if they want to leave it as is or polish it.

Navajo artist Russell Sam – Bear Pendant – Info Please?

Dear Paula,

I have come into the possession of a piece by Russell Sam and have tried in vain to find out anything about the artist.  I wondered if you might have some info on him or might be able to point me to someone who might have some biography info on him.  I would appreciate any help you could give me. I have attached a scanned picture of the Russell Sam pendant. If you know anything at all about the artist, I would appreciate whatever info you may have on him.  Thank you so much for your time and trouble.

 Sincerely,  Dolores

Hi Delores,

Russell Sam is a Navajo silversmith from the Gallup, New Mexico area who is still producing as we are currently purchasing his items.  In fact, we have a very similar pendant to yours in our store right now.

Many members of the Sam family are silversmiths in New Mexico and a number of them had worked for the Atkinson Trading Company in past years.

 

Navajo Squash Blossom Necklace – What is its history and meaning?

Many queries from you relate to a squash blossom necklace. Just search that term in the right hand column of this blog and you’ll see the number of posts related to SBNs !!  One reader asked ” What makes it a squash blossom necklace and why are there so many of them?”

Squash, corn and beans are important foods for the Native American people of the US southwest. They are often used in a symbolic way in jewelry and ceremonies.

Some say the Navajo squash blossom necklace has a connection to southwestern agriculture, other say the the spread petal design is just that, a design, and that is was only after white man asked, “what is this, what does it mean” did the name squash blossom come to be. Yet others say the Navajo copied a similar Spanish design of the pomegranate – look at the end of the pomegranate below and compare it to the “squash blossom” bead.

The Navajo word for the “squash blossom” bead means “bead that spreads out” so it would seem to me that the original intent was design not squash. But what do I know, I wasn’t around in 1880 when spread beads first appeared.

Whichever is the true account, it seems that originally Navajo silversmiths used simple silver bead necklaces to suspend their naja pendants.

In about 1880, the tri-petal form that we know as a squash blossom bead appeared.  At first,  tri-petal silver beads were simply interspersed with plain beads in a naja necklace. Then stones began to be added to the blossom beads partly to please the maker but mostly to satisfy customer demand.

While usually associated with Navajo silversmiths, squash blossom necklaces are also made and worn by Pueblo and Zuni people.  Zuni necklaces usually feature needlepoint designs.

Although there can be any number of squash blossoms on each side of a necklace, there are often six on each side, making twelve squash blossoms and one central naja.

Full size squash blossom necklaces are often quite large and heavy and most suitable for occasional ceremonial wear.  Smaller, lighter versions are made to be worn as everyday jewelry.

Miniature Squash Blossom Necklace by Lorena Peina, Zuni

Why are there so many squash blossom necklaces around? Demand. During the Native American jewelry boom of the 1970s, the artists made them as fast as they sold.  They were one of the most popular Native American jewelry purchases of that time.

Is this reticulated sterling pendant Native American made? MAXCII

Hi Paula, just acquired a cool reticulated Sterling pendant that’s stamped Sterling and Hallmarked ©MAXCll. It appears to be NA…any ideas on maker?

Thank you! Sandy

Hi Sandy,

Very interesting piece ! I’ve never seen anything like it nor have I seen a hallmark like that. I would guess it is not Native American made but perhaps made by a US artisan or one from another country. I showed the photos to everyone here and none thought it was Native American made, but each had a different “guess” as to its origin:

India

Mexico

Indonesia.

I’m posting it in hopes that someone else might be able to provide you with more information.

If we received something like this in an estate lot, we would state origin unknown and put in in the

Wanted – Cheyenne River Arrowhead Pendant with Chief Greeting Morning Sun

MY GRANDMOTHER LENA LEBEAU-LOWDOG,GAVE ME THIS ARROW HEAD PENDANT .I HAD IT FOR 20 YRS FELL IN RAIN STORM AND SOME HOW IT BROKE OFF.I WENT BACH IN A STORM THAT SAME NIGHT AND CRAWLED AND RETRACED MY STEPS AND A FRIEND TO NO AVAIL I COULD NT FIND IT,  BROKE MY HEART BECAUSE MY GRANDMA PASSED.IT WAS MADE BY JOSTENS OR JOSLYNE?????I STILL SEARCHING MABEY YOU CAN POINT ME IN OR AROUND THE RIGHT DIRECTION I WOULD BE FOREVER GRATEFUL IT HAD AN NATIVE MAN STANDING WITH HIS ARMS UP OR OUT GREETING THE MORNING,FULL HEAD BONNET AND IN FRONT OF HIM WAS IN ENGLISH ,CHEYANNE RIVER …I’M HAVE BEEN AND STILL SEARCHING FOR THIS PENDANT.THANK YOU SINCERELY, RONNIE   your help would bless me and you will….! be blessed.i’m not rich but the great mystery would be very generous…i promise

Dear Ronnie,

Your search touches me. I know just what you mean about how something can mean so much when there is a connection to a special person in your life.

I’d like to help you try and locate a pendant like the one you lost, so to start out I’ve posted your request here on my blog because other readers might have ideas other than what I’ve listed below.

I think I might know the image that was on the pendant – I have seen a painting of a Native American man with a full head bonnet, his arms outstretched as he greeted the morning sun. I tried to find a copy of that painting so that I could post it here to see if that is the same image that was on your pendant. However, I could not find it.  But I did find this similar image – was the one on your pendant something like this but the man was standing, not on a horse?

Jostens is a company that makes school class rings and that sort of thing.  I’ve contacted them to see if they have ever made such a pendant. I’ll let you know if I hear back from them.  They do make items for  “Cheyenne River Community College” in Eagle Butte, South Dakota. Do you think the pendant was associated with the college or was the designation related to the Cheyenne River tribe?

I did a search on eBay and I do see that Jostens makes charms that range in size from 1-2 inches long. Is that about the size of the pendant you lost or was it larger?

Do you know how old the pendant might have been – what year it might have been from?

Jostens calls this an “arrowhead”. Is this the shape that your pendant was?

Or was it more of a true arrowhead shape like this?

At the bottom of this article, there is a link that says “Leave a Comment” – if you click on that and reply that way, then other readers can see your answers. With everyone working on this, perhaps we will find one !

I look forward to your reply.

UPDATE JUNE 29, 2011

I CONTACTED JOSTENS WITH ALL OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION AND RECEIVED THIS REPLY FROM A REP THAT HAS BEEN WORKING FOR THEM FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

” I am not familiar with this piece of jewelry at all. If you can tell me a little bit more, in addition to the physical description you provided, I may be able to dig a bit deeper.  For example, what organization provided or made this pendant available? Where, What Year and etc.  If you have any further info to provide to me, I will keep digging.”

 

 

 

Copper Jewelry – Characteristics, Care, Reaction with Skin and Health Benefits

Copper Characteristics

Copper is a pure elemental metal, CU on the periodic table. It is reddish brown and is soft enough so that it is malleable which means you can shape and bend it fairly easily.

Copper oxidizes and darkens when it comes in contact with the air in the environment. It tends to get to a certain dark color but then it doesn’t get any darker.

If you’ve ever seen copper roofs that have turned green, that is what is called copper patina. The copper has reacted with the environment and rain, especially if it is acidic rain.

The same sort of thing can happen when copper comes in contact with your skin if your skin is acidic. The acids in your skin combine with copper and make copper salts which are green. They are harmless and can simply be washed off.

Copper Care

Copper develops a patina, much like sterling silver, but faster and darker, especially in the presence of heat, sunlight, sweat, swimming pools and chlorine water, chemicals and cosmetics. Remove copper jewelry before bathing, swimming, doing dishes, putting on lotion or makeup.

Some people love the deep rich look of vintage copper while others like the bright shiny bronze look of clean copper.

Storage
Keep cooper in a cool, dry place. If possible, store in an anti-tarnish pouch, box or cloth. If you have none of these, use a tightly sealing plastic bag to keep air from contacting the copper items. Adding a strip of anti-tarnish paper can also slow down tarnish.

Cleaning
Effective cleaning products for copper are highly acidic. Here are some methods for cleaning a solid copper item with no stones or gems.

Lemon Juice

• Lay a cloth on your kitchen counter, one that you don’t mind getting dirty.
• Place your copper item in a glass or ceramic bowl on the cloth.
• Squirt lemon juice over the item.
• Move the item in the liquid so that all surfaces have a chance to react with the lemon juice.
• Use a toothbrush to scrub the lemon juice in the crevices.
• Rinse.
• Wash with warm water and soap, using your toothbrush again if necessary.
• Dry

Salt and Vinegar Soak

• Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup of vinegar to 2 quarts of boiling water.
• Remove the pot from the heat.
• Dip the copper item in the liquid, rinse and dry.

Lemon Juice Salt Paste

• Mix lemon juice and salt together until you have a paste which you can use for deep cleaning.
• Apply with a cloth or toothbrush as appropriate.
• Rinse
• Dry

To make a paste that you can apply and leave on an item for a deeper cleanse, you can make a thicker paste by adding some flour to the above lemon-salt paste.

Ketchup and Worcestershire sauce have been noted to be excellent copper cleaners but more expensive than the home preparations above.

To maintain the shine, you can buff a copper piece with an anti-tarnish cloth.

Reaction between copper and your skin

If you have ever had a copper bracelet that started to turn green or even turn your skin green, you might have been turned off by copper.

The green color results from an individual’s body chemistry at a particular time. Two people can wear the same bracelet and one person’s wrist will turn green and the other’s will not. A person can wear a copper bracelet one day with no green marks and the next day green marks might appear.

What does the green tell you? The green color means that your skin has become more acidic and has dissolved copper from the bracelet faster than the body can absorb it. This usually happens when we sweat, when we are stressed, when we experience dietary changes, mainly a poor diet (think junk food).
Green marks might also appear when the body is deficient in copper so is trying to obtain it a rate faster than it can absorb.

When the body is in a state of homeostasis, the copper is absorbed through the skin at the same rate it is dissolved from the bracelet so there are no green marks.

Some makers of copper jewelry, put a coating (sealer) on the copper item to preserve it and prevent the copper from interacting with the wearer’s skin. But then, the purported health benefits of wearing copper would not be achieved.

Is there a health benefit to wearing copper?

There are many who swear by the health benefits of wearing copper (copper bracelet manufacturers) while others have the opposite viewpoint.

Most everyone agrees that wearing copper jewelry does no harm.

Proponents of the benefits say copper does some or all of the following and more:

• Provide necessary copper by absorption through the skin.
• Relive arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome pain etc.
• Clear the body of toxins.
• Aid in healing.

To decide for yourself, here are some interesting articles on copper:

Copper and Your Health from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Beneficial Therapeutic Effect of Copper Bracelets – Life Extension

Medical View of Effectiveness of Copper Bracelets – Creighton University

Health Benefits of Copper Bracelets – eHow Health

Medicinal Effects of Copper Bracelets – Scientia Press

Visit our Copper Shop to find all kinds of vintage copper treasures !

Bell Trading Company History and Hallmarks

The Bell Trading Company was founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1935 by Jack Michelson and his wife Mildred. They sold Native American Indian jewelry at various tourist locations in the southwestern United States until the late 1980s.

Their main competitor was Maisel’s Indian Trading Post.

The Bell company got its name from Jack’s wife, whose maiden name was Bell. In 1972 the company name was changed to Sunbell Corp. and items including giftware and moccasins were added to the jewelry inventory.

The types of jewelry sold by Bell Trading included sterling silver, nickel silver, gold, and copper.

Over the years numerous hallmarks were used on items sold by Bell Trading. The hallmarks typically included the image of a bell or that of an arrow sign post with a bell sign hanging from it. Shown here a just a few of Bell Trading Company’s hallmarks.

        

        

Information please on Navajo Storyteller Pendant by Jeff James

Hi Paula,

I’m trying to get some information on and find the value of a Jeff James story telling pendant that I inherited. I’ve attached a photo and scanned notes that may have been giving to her by the artist. Thank you, Shelley

Hi Shelley,

The drawing and notes you sent seem like they could have been written by the artist or by a person who the artist was talking to about the storyteller pendant.

The notes indicate:

Shiprock is in the center of the pendant.

The four sacred colors are used to depict the four sacred mountains that form the physical border of the Navajo reservation.

The mesa designs around the border symbolize the steps up out of the underworld as the Navajo came up from the underworld to earth.

All of that sounds in line with Navajo legend and tradition. And the images of the mesas and the Navajo man and woman are very much Jeff James and just like the ones he makes today. Here are some examples of his current work which will help you value your piece.