(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Some Navajo Jewelry. [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2023-05-02 Welcome to the Street Prophets Coffee Hour. I've been collecting Southwest Native American jewelry for over forty years; today I'd like to share some of my favorite Navajo jewelry. These pieces are what I consider the best of my collection, which I wear often. I love them all, and enjoy talking about them. Top, silver and turquoise cuff signed L James. Middle, silver, lapis lazuli, and coral cuff signed with a glyph of Monster Slayer (John Begay jr). Bottom, custom made silver and Blue Gem turquoise cuff, unsigned. A lot of my favorites were lucky finds at pawn shops, like the two shown above at top and middle. Others were custom made for me. A few were purchased at various galleries in Flagstaff and Sedona. Between having a limited budget and somewhat particular tastes, I generally only buy one or two pieces in a year. Top, silver tufa cast cuff, unsigned. Below, tufa cast naja pendant with turquoise, unsigned, with handmade fluted silver beads. The bracelet and beads were found at second hand shops. Tufa cast (sometimes called sand cast) pieces are formed in a flat, hand carved mold. Bracelets are then carefully bent into their rounded shape, and additional adornments like stones or silver applique are sometimes added. The naja design appears in many squash blossom necklaces, is sometimes described as a good luck symbol, and was probably adapted from the crescent moon shaped ornaments that decorated the bridles of horses belonging to Spanish colonizers. Left, tufa cast silver, applique, and green turquoise cuff signed Kirk Smith. Right, silver and blue-green turquoise cuff signed A Mc. Where I live, in Arizona's Verde Valley, I am fortunate to have many places to see and buy Navajo jewelry. There's a good pawnshop in Cottonwood, a couple of good dealers of quality Native American jewelry in Old Town, and tons of second hand shops to browse. It goes without saying that while prices will always be lower at a pawnshop or second hand dealer, it's also very much Caveat Emptor- those places don't offer guarantees of authenticity, and they don't give refunds. If you have any concerns about being able to distinguish the genuine from the fake, either take a knowledgeable friend with you, or shop only at the better known dealers of good reputation. You'll pay more at a well known, long established gallery in Sedona, but you'll also have the assurance that they stand behind their merchandise. Top, silver feather design cuff, signed Charley. Bottom, silver feather design cuff with turquoise and twisted wire, signed M ***. The one at top was found at a second hand shop. Another advantage of dealing with the galleries is that they have websites. Websites that are full of good, helpful advice and information for the education of their customers. These people really know their stuff, are happy to share their knowledge, and can be relied upon to offer only the best quality of genuine Native American jewelry. Their websites are valuable resources for collectors needing reliable information. Top, custom made silver pendant with approximately 30 carats gem grade Morenci turquoise, unsigned. Hanging from a hand forged silver chain, unsigned. Bottom, silver and Mexican fire agate cuff, unsigned. Not all Navajo jewelry is set with turquoise. Other stones including malachite, lapis lazuli, chrysocolla, larimar and Mexican fire agate are sometimes used. Gems which are not actually stones like shell, coral, amber, ironwood, and mammoth ivory are also popular. Gems are usually set in bezels, not prong settings. The bezel should be smooth, close fitting and without any gaps. Decorations like applique and stamped or chiseled patterns should be carefully executed and not uneven, haphazard, or sloppy looking. Twisted wire should be tight and of even thickness. Left, silver and turquoise ring, signed D.K. Lister. Middle, silver and turquoise ring, signed MW (Martha Willeto) Right, silver and larimar ring, signed L. Yazzie. The jewelry style known as Storyteller features imagery drawn from traditional Navajo daily life. Mine includes a hogan, looms, a weaver, and sheep. It's the only storyteller piece I have. I've seen larger examples of this style that are exquisitely detailed and spectacularly beautiful. Left, silver overlay "storyteller" cuff, signed A. Singer. Right, silver tufa cast and chrysocolla cuff, unsigned. All of my custom made pieces are the work of a single Navajo jeweler known simply as Glen. He's a third generation silversmith and artist who works with a reputable shop in Old Town Cottonwood. Once in a while I find a really nice stone set in a piece of jewelry not to my taste; I take those to Magenta Jewelry where I can consult with the shop owner about commissioning a new piece. The item is sent to Glen up in the Navajo Nation, and a few weeks later it comes back in a gorgeous, elegant and beautifully crafted new setting. I've been doing business with them for years and have never been disappointed. Indeed, a few times I've told the shop owner to tell Glen that I want, say, a bracelet- and that I'm leaving the design of it up to him. His workmanship is exquisite and his taste unerring. Left, silver and turquoise ring, signed J. Middle, silver and boulder turquoise ring, signed K.Y. Right, custom made silver and angel wing turquoise ring, unsigned. Boulder turquoise is also known as ribbon turquoise. It's distinctive in that there's a band or stripe of bright blue or green surrounded by matrix in various shades of tan, brown, or grey. It's found at different turquoise mines, the name refers to the type of turquoise and not the location of it's origin. Helpful items for collectors: Top, a small ultraviolet flashlight. Right, a jeweler's magnifying loupe. Beneath them, a Sunshine silver polishing cloth. The pendant is custom made silver and blue-green turquoise, unsigned. Never dip this kind of jewelry in liquid silver polish. It can damage the stones, many of which are low on the Mohs scale (meaning, they're not very hard). Also, this jewelry is meant to have some patina; shadowbox settings, twisted wire (like the pendant above) and stamped or chiseled patterns look best with the contrast of polished and unpolished surfaces. The magnifying loupe is helpful for examining the stones and settings before buying anything. (any decent seller won't mind you doing this) The ultraviolet flashlight will detect repairs, cracks, and altered or artificial stones. (They light up under ultraviolet light like the Fourth of July) When I'm not wearing my jewelry it's stored in wooden boxes which I lined with black tarnish resistant fabric made especially for silver items. I always remove my jewelry before showering, using hand soap or lotion, or washing dishes. Some helpful websites- good information and just really fun to browse: www.shopgarlands.com hoelsindianshop.com www.heardmuseumshop.com www.medicinemangallery.com/… I hope you enjoyed seeing these items from my collection. Thank you reading. This is an open thread, all topics are welcome. 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