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

Friend’s Great Grandmother’s Red Bead Necklace – Where is it From?

Hello,

I have a very old Native American bead necklace, that has hand tooled (hammered maybe?) brass pieces that hang on the end. It also has four sea shells on it and two small shells clasp the necklace together. It is 18″ long. As you can see in the photos I’ve attached, it is in excellent condition.

My friend’s great grandmother gave it to her. She didn’t like it and gave it to me.

I would like to sell it. However, I don’t know where to start to accomplish that.

Can you help me? If not, do you know who might be able to?

Thanks. I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Tracy

Hi Tracy,

I don’t recognize anything about this necklace that would indicate it was Native American made.

It looks like it could be from the Caribbean which is a broad term for over 700 Islands located to the south of Florida and which include Aruba, Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Saint Croix, The Bahamas, Antigua, Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Dominica, Montserrat, Saba, Saint Kitts, Saint Lucia, Saint Thomas, Saint John, Tortola, Grenada, Saint Vincent, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Because this area is relatively close to the US and has its own native peoples, it is not uncommon for people to think of items from this region as native american, but they are not.

The term Native American refers to Indians from the United States.

I’d suggest an online auction such as eBay.

Best of luck,

Paula

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Serpentine used in Native American Fetish Carvings

When we buy Zuni and Navajo fetish carvings and aren’t positive about the stone used, we ask and are often told “serpentine”. You might think that is a catch-all category but when you really look into it, you’ll find that serpentine comes in a wide variety of colors. It is one of the oldest stones used for carving, as early as prehistoric times.

Serpentine can range from green to pink and everything in between including tan, brown, red, black, yellow, gray and more.

A very popular and traditional stone “fish rock” is actually serpentine. It is a light stone usually with small splotches and veining.  Here are some examples of fish rock serpentine.

Ricolite is another serpentine that is dark green with grey or light green bands.

Here are some other examples of serpentine.

Serpentine is widespread in California where it is the state rock. Here is a photo of serpentine along a beach.

To read more about serpentine and see more examples, click here.

Here is an interesting glossary Gemstone Terminology

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However, if you have a new question, please contact us through our website.

Old Praying Feather – Can you help?

Hi Paula, I have in my possession a very old praying feather but cannot determine the origin or tribe in which it came, can I send you some pics about it and maybe you can help me with this. I was thinking maybe Hopi or Navajo but need to be sure.

This is very important to us because we want to bring it back to the tribe and it’s people where it belongs. We found it doing a trash out of a foreclosed property and it should be right to give it back.

Thanks. Tom

Hi Tom,

I’ve seen fans like this made by Apache and Navajo.

Here is a similar style of Apache fan

Here is one made by a Navajo

It is possible it could also be a Plains tribe.

Perhaps one of the readers of this blog recognizes your fan.

Paula

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.

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

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,

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.