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swramsay · Jul 10, 2009, 09:39 PM

My mother-in-law and her husband lived in Arizona for many years. During that time (about 50 years ago) they purchased quite a bit of Navajo jewelry. She gave us 3 pieces - an eagle bolo with coral and turqoise, a watch with coral, black onyx and turqoise on both sides of the band, and a turqoise necklace. I hear others talking of Navajo jewelry with the artists' signatures inscribed on the back. None of these have a signature.

Does all Navajo jewelry require a signature to have any value? As far as I can tell, these pieces are sterling silver.

N0help4u · Jul 11, 2009, 01:20 PM

I think you should take it to a jeweler familiar with Native American jewelry.
They can tell by the inlay and if the stone was treated or natural and other things to tell if it is real.
If it doesn't have a hallmark then it may not be Native American.

If you see exact copies of your jewelry with no variation then too that indicates it is fake.

Even fake turquoise has some value, especially in the eastern states.
A small sterling silver turquouis ring goes for around 16. And a bigger piece goes for at least 32.
large bracelets can be as high as a hundred and that is at the flea markets.

tumbleweeds · Oct 18, 2009, 11:12 AM

Just because a piece of Native American jewelry is not signed or does not have hallmark, does not mean it is less valuable. Much of the Native American jewelry produced prior to the 1970's did not have hallmarks.

Tumbleweeds Jewelry - Vintage, dead pawn & new Native American Zuni Navajo Hopi Indian jewelry

youngawd · Nov 11, 2009, 01:35 PM

Much of the older Native American pieces, let us say, pre 1950 were not signed. They were never meant to be traded or pawned therefore there was no reason to hallmark. Many of these earlier pieces are of great value. The silversmiths made these pieces for themselves or a family member or friend. Sometimes they ended up in the pawn shop to trade for goods, services or money. If they were not retrieved and the dues paid, they were then considered old or dead pawn and sold off as such by the pawn shop. When you think of the rudimentary tools used to create these magnificent pieces and the care and time invested by the silversmith, they are absolutely a tremendous work of art and a magnificent piece of history - wearable history. You are holding a piece of art and history that is made by some of the greatest silversmiths and lapadarists of our century.

Christine Rome

MarthaStruever · Feb 10, 2010, 07:55 PM

It is also important to point out that ascribing ownership to one's artistic work was originally a very foreign concept for American Indian artists. It was one that was imposed by "Anglo" American collectors as part of their individualistic ideal. Collectors wanted to know who made a specific piece when actually quite often, among American Indian families, more than one artist worked (and to this day work) to create a single piece of jewelry. Enjoy your pieces as they are quite special.