How to Care for your Native American Jewelry

Follow these tips to keep your Native American jewelry in excellent condition and looking its best for years!

CARE OF STERLING SILVER JEWELRY

Sterling Silver is actually somewhat soft and easily scratched if mishandled. One of the best and simplest way to care for sterling silver jewelry is to use silver polishing cloths that have been specially designed and treated for the purpose of cleaning sterling silver jewelry. These cloths are made of a felt-like material and are impregnated with special non-scratch micro-abrasives. You just rub the surface to be polished with medium pressure to remove tarnish and even light surface scratches. We recommend a cloth like the Sunshine Polishing Cloth, which we sell on our website.

We usually recommend that silver cleaning solutions, cleaners or creams not be used to clean Native American silver jewelry. Many pieces are set with stonework, and if the solutions are used, the stones can be damaged or the color of the stones may change. Many pieces are made with a technique in which the piece was intentionally blackened in strategic areas of the jewelry to provide design definition. Creams can settle in creases of jewelry and can not be removed without damage to the piece.

Special care should also be used when cleaning Hopi jewelry. DO NOT dip Hopi jewelry in any type of liquid silver polishing cleaner, nor should you use any other type of chemical silver polishing cleaner or solution because you will ruin the dark recessed oxidized areas. And hence the contrast of the design and the essence of Hopi jewelry will be lost. Use only a silver polishing cloth like the ones we sell and AVOID rubbing the dark recessed oxidized areas.
Keeping your sterling silver in the open air for extended periods of time without wearing it may cause it to tarnish. To prevent silver from tarnishing, place jewelry in a sealable plastic bag; for added protection, include an anti-tarnish strip. An important exception to this rule relates to jewelry that has been intentionally oxidized or antiqued, as part of the design. This type of jewelry should not be stored in airtight plastic bags, so simply punch a hole in the plastic bag.

CARE OF TURQUOISE JEWELRY

Turquoise is a beautiful stone that is porous so use caution when caring for and cleaning turquoise jewelry. Protect turquoise from prolonged sun exposure, extreme temperatures, cosmetics, perfumes, skin oils, grease, or any other harsh chemicals, as they might discolor the stone. When cleaning turquoise jewelry, use a very soft brush or a slightly damp soft cloth. Do not submerge turquoise in water and avoid using commercial jewelry cleaners, ultrasonic cleaners, chemicals or even soap. A polishing cloth is another safe way to clean or polish turquoise.

Remove jewelry before performing gardening, household tasks or any strenuous activity. Dirt can get into stone settings and scratching of surfaces is possible.

CARE OF INLAY JEWELRY

Remember to treat the inlay jewelry with extra care. Avoid dropping, banging or scratching inlay jewelry. Do not wash with soap and water. And, again, avoid using commercial jewelry cleaners, ultrasonic cleaners or chemicals to clean inlay jewelry. Instead, use polishing cloths to shine or clean inlay jewelry.

Do not attempt to reshape or bend a bracelet, necklace, ring or pendant with inlay or channel work. Do not re-size rings with channel or inlay work. Changing the shape of the underlying metal can loosen the stones. They can actually pop out while the item is being bent and/or the integrity of the setting can be compromised, so that the stones may fall out later on, without being noticed.

www.tumbleweedsjewelry.com

SUNSHINE POLISHING CLOTH - Jewelry cleaner - Safely cleans N/A silver jewelry

Books about Native American Jewelry

I love sitting down with a good book about Native American jewelry, especially one with lots of color pictures! There are many wonderful books out there about Native American Jewelry. I have selected a few of our favorites below. You are welcome to add your favorite in the comments section below the post.

There are several very helpful books about Native American Jewelry Hallmarks. The one I use most often is "Hallmarks of the Southwest" by Barton Wright, which is available from Amazon. It's a little expensive so it is only worth the price if you are a collector or buyer of Native American Jewelry and think you may be using it frequently. Another helpful book for researching hallmarks on Hopi jewelry is called "Hopi Silver - The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing" by Margaret Nickelson Wright. And for Zuni jewelry, I find the book "Zuni Jewelry" by Theda and Michael Bassman very useful. Some of these books are in their second printing, so look for the newest & most recent editions. They are all available on Amazon. Using these three books, you have a good chance of finding the hallmark, especially if the jewelry is older. But of course, these books don't reference the hallmarks of every Native American artist out there..only the more prolific ones.

If you have a specific question about the hallmark on a single or particular piece of jewelry, I might be able to help you. Email me pictures of the piece (front and back) with any other information you may have and I'll quickly research the hallmark for you. I'm not guaranteeing anything but I'm willing to give it a shot!

THREE GOOD REASONS TO BUY NATIVE AMERICAN JEWELRY

1) HAND MADE, UNIQUE, ONE OF A KIND JEWELRY

Every piece of genuine Native American jewelry is a unique handcrafted piece of jewelry - no two pieces are identical. When you buy Native American made jewelry, you are buying something that is not factory made or imported; it is handmade by Native American Indian artists who create unique, one of a kind, works of art.

The silversmiths, lapidarists and bead-makers from the Navajo, Zuni, Hopi and Santo Domingo tribes have gained a world-wide reputation for their beautiful and distinctive jewelry. Unlike much of the assembly-line manufactured jewelry on the market today, Native American art is painstakingly hand-crafted, carrying with it the artist's own unique style and personal vision. Indian jewelry is rich in culture and tradition, since Native Americans have been making jewelry for well over one hundred years.

Jewelry making techniques and traditions are passed down from generation to generation and many Native American artisans learned their craft at an early age by watching and later helping family members or tribal elders. Many of today's artisans follow the traditional ways; yet they may use a combination of old and modern tools and methods to produce their incredible masterpieces.

2) VALUE

How often can you purchase a handmade work of art, created by an established artist for a reasonable price? Native American jewelry is a great value, considering that it is made from genuine sterling silver, real turquoise, coral, lapis and other semi-precious stones. Silver is currently trading at over $14 an ounce. Turquoise, a precious gemstone that has been used in jewelry for ages, appeals to most folks because every stone is unique in color, matrix and rarity. Yet even the highest grade natural turquoise from the best-known southwestern mines is relatively inexpensive, compared to other gemstones. In recent years, many artists have begun using stones of all kinds as well as 14K gold in their jewelry, in addition to the traditional sterling silver and turquoise.

There are many well-known Native American artists working today, many of whom have been making jewelry for 20, 30, 40 years or more. These highly respected artisans have perfected their craft over the years and their reputation makes their work very popular. Even so, much of their jewelry is still very affordable. And if you are lucky enough to purchase a piece of jewelry from an artist before he or she becomes well-known, your piece will appreciate even more in value as the artist becomes more famous.

Well crafted Native American jewelry keeps and even increases its value over time. Purchasing and collecting authentic Native American jewelry is not only a passionate hobby for some but also a great investment!

3) SUPPORTING NATIVE AMERICAN ART, TRADITIONS AND LIVELIHOOD

Buying Native American made jewelry is a great way to support our indigenous Native peoples. Many Native Americans living in the southwestern pueblos and indian reservations are involved in handcrafting jewelry. This activity is their principle source of income. By investing in genuine Native American art, your investment helps families and communities pay for food, clothing and education. It promotes independence and helps maintain Native American art, culture and heritage.

We believe that these artists should be compensated fairly for their hard work and talent, so we always pay them their asking price for their jewelry. When you purchase jewelry from us, you can be assured that part of your money is going to the people who deserve it. Each piece of Southwestern jewelry is a true work of Native American art and you will be honoring and supporting the traditions and livelihood of our Native American tribes with your purchase.

Visit our website www.tumbleweedsjewelry.com  to shop for genuine Native American jewelry.

SANTO DOMINGO PUEBLO JEWELRY

The Santo Domingos make some of the most beautiful inlaid shell and turquoise jewelry in the world. They are also well known for their handmade heishi. Close to ninety percent of natives living in the Santo Domingo pueblo are self-employed and working on jewelry and /or pottery.

There are many steps to making heishi in the old traditional ways. An olivella shell, for example, is cut into squares and holes are drilled in the centers. If the squares have large corners, they would be clipped off. Then the drilled pieces are strung on a wire and then ground on a flat stone, until eventually they are round. The beads are then sanded and polished. It is a very time-consuming process, although today with lapidary equipment, the process takes a little less time than doing it all by hand. There are some artists, though, who still follow the old traditional ways.

Many of the Santo Domingos today are doing mosaics (inlays) and there are many different styles. Some jewelry starts with a shell, others with a stone. The artist then spends time selecting and cutting the stones & shells for the inlay, deciding upon the pattern and design. It may take several days for some artists just to cut the stones to have enough materials for one project. The foundation stone or shell is then cleaned so that the epoxy sticks. The inlay is then meticulously assembled piece by piece to form the finished item.

We have a nice growing selection of Santo Domingo hand made jewelry, by artists such as Rudy & Mary Coriz, Stephanie Medina, Ron & Petra Chavez, Gary & Carol Pacheco, Daniel Coriz, Molly Tenorio, Veronica Tortalita and others. Click here or on the photo to see what Santo Domingo jewelry is available.

It is important for many artists to be at the pueblo, because the creative spirit is easier to capture if you live and work within the village, neighbor to neighbor, house to house.

We had the wonderful opportunity to visit with several artists in the village a few years ago. We had stopped at a flea market near the village, looking for jewelry, but only raw material was being sold at this particular flea market. A diminutive woman asked us if we were looking for finished jewelry, and when we responded "yes", she hopped into our car and directed us to her home in the village. She whisked us inside, set up a small card table, covered it with a dark cloth, and proceeded to display samples of her beautiful handmade jewelry on the table. Her son appeared within a few minutes with several cases of his beautiful innovative inlaid jewelry. He had won several awards recently for his necklaces. We were soon joined by her husband and he was a jeweler also. Our hosts were quite gracious and, since this was our first visit to Santo Domingo, we received quite an education. We left with several bags of gorgeous necklaces, pendants and bracelets and we have been partial to Santo Domingo jewelry ever since that day.

Unfortunately, The Santo Domingos are now competing with the Philippines and China. With the advent of modern lapidary equipment, some traders have taken the Santo Domingo's necklaces to the Philippines and China to copy, making the beads there and bringing home the finished product. Buyers can avoid the imports by buying from a reputable dealer. If the price is to low to be true, it's most likely imported.

Don't forget to visit our main website www.tumbleweedsjewelry.com for a great selection of Navajo, Zuni, Hopi and Santo Domingo Native American Indian Jewelry

HOPI SILVER OVERLAY JEWELRY

   
This spring we had the opportunity to once again drive along Hwy 264 through the Hopi reservation located in northeastern Arizona. Located on the Colorado Plateau, the reservation of the Hopi tribe contains 1.6 million acres of land at elevations from 4,700 to 7,800 feet. Hopi Land is a high, sunny, arid desert with only ten inches of snow or rain a year. The Hopi have lived here and preserved their culture and their villages for well over one thousand years.

There are twelve Hopi villages located on the tops of or at the feet of three mesas, called First, Second and Third Mesas.

We stopped in at the Hopi Arts & Crafts Co-op Guild on Second Mesa, located next to the Hopi Cultural Center & Museum. We selected a number of elegant sterling silver overlay bracelets, earrings, pendants and buckles, all of which are for sale on our website here:

Hopi Silver Overlay Jewelry Collection.  
Click on the link above to see our latest selection of genuine Hopi silver jewelry.  
And if you don't see what you want, you can try contacting the Guild directly:

Hopi Arts & Crafts-Silvercraft Cooperative Guild
P.O. Box 37
Second Mesa, Az 86043
928-734-2463


A little history about Hopi silversmithing:
In 1947, after World War II, returning Hopi servicemen were trained at a silversmithing school founded under the G.I. bill. The late Paul Saufkie, Sr. was the technical instructor and the late Fred Kobotie, taught design. Although many techniques of making silver were used, the overlay style gradually emerged as the dominate style. This simple, unique, elegant jewelry is now considered essentially "the" Hopi style of jewelry.
In 1949, they established a guild with its own hallmark. The Guild's purpose was to produce, purchase, promote, sell handcrafts and jewelry and to operate related activities. The Hopi Arts and Crafts Co-op Guild now has its own building on Second Mesa, Arizona, next to the Hopi Cultural Center & Museum. Any craftsman, potter, basketmaker, weaver or silversmith can have his or her work displayed and sold there. Half the building is devoted to work benches and supplies for the silversmiths.

When you buy from the Hopi Guild, you are buying quality and authentic pieces of jewelry. To assure authenticity, all Guild jewelry bears both the Hopi Guild sun symbol and the individual silversmith's clan mark (hallmark). Authentic Hopi jewelry sold outside of the guild is usually marked with either the silversmith's clan symbol or a registered silversmith's signature or initials.





Silver Overlay Jewelry:
Overlay is a process of soldering one piece of silver, from which a design has been cut, over another piece of silver. The top layer is a handmade, hand cut overlay created from a sheet of sterling that is then bonded to the base layer of sterling. The base layer background is usually oxidized, which turns the silver surface black, and is often scratched or stamped. The oxidation brings out a contrast between the two pieces and makes the individual designs more visible. This technique remains characteristic of Hopi style and was developed out of a project initiated by the Museum of Northern Arizona in 1930 to encourage the Hopi to develop their own unique jewelry, distinguishable from other Native American silversmiths. Hopi overlay pieces often tell a story, incorporating several images into one piece of jewelry.




Don't forget to visit our main website www.tumbleweedsjewelry.com for a great selection of Navajo, Zuni, Hopi and Santo Domingo Native American Indian Jewelry

2009 Indian Arts & Crafts Association (IACA) Spring Market

It was with great anticipation that my husband and I set off on a cross-country car trip, our destination being the 2009 Indian Arts & Crafts Association (IACA) spring market in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I had recently become a member of this organization, known for its ethical promotion and protection of authentic Native American art. This was IACA's 35th anniversary and I was looking forward to the opportunity to meet many of the member Native American artists and silversmiths who gather twice a year (in the spring and in the fall) to introduce and sell their work. The first two days of the market were for the trade only, while the final day was open to all IACA members. I was able to meet many Native American artists. The experience was both educational and exhilarating! The selection of fine innovative jewelry was astonishing!

First off, we met Navajo silversmiths, Gene & Martha Jackson, some of whose jewelry is shown in the photo below. Martha and Gene Jackson are Navajo silversmiths from Chinle, Arizona. They have been making beautiful handcrafted sterling silver jewelry since the 1980s. They are featured in many Native American jewelry books and have won many awards.

Next, we wandered over to their son, Tommy Jackson's, booth. Tommy Jackson is one of the best new contemporary Navajo jewelers working today. Tommy learned the basics of silversmithing from his father Gene and began creating jewelry in 1973, and became a full time silversmith in 2002. Prior to that he and his wife Marita, who is also an award winning jeweler, taught elementary school on the Navajo reservation at Wide Ruins, Arizona.

Tommy specializes in inlay and old-style designs using high quality American stones, including Bisbee, Landers, #8 mine, Royston and Blue Gem. A superb craftsman, his bracelets, concho belts, buckles, necklaces and pendants have won numerous awards at the Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum Indian Shows, and the Gallup Indian Ceremonial.

You can view some of Gene, Martha & Tommy Jackson's jewelry on our website here


I've always had a fondness for sandcast and tufacast silver jewelry, so the jewelry of Ira Custer immediately caught my eye. Ira is a top-prize winning jeweler from a family of silversmiths. He began jewelry making actively in 1990. His background in silver-smithing came from his parents, Benny and Emily Custer and from his grandparents. He specializes in traditional and contemporary tufacast and sandcast jewelry. He is currently using the Tufa stone (volcanic ash) process to cast his silver jewelry. He and his brother have given tufa stone casting demonstrations at the I.A.C.A. market, that unfortunately I missed.

Typically a tufa stone is cut in half, then the design is carved into just one of the interior sides of the tufa stone. After the carving is done, the two halves of the tufa stones are tightly joined with a strip of rubber. A channel is cut from the top of the design, so that the molten silver can flow into the design. The tufa leaves a textured surface on the metal. The piece is then removed from the mold and finished as desired. 

Some of the Native American silversmiths that we met at the market and whose jewelry we now have available for sale on our website are :

Shane Hendren
L. Bruce Hodgins
Gene & Martha Jackson
Tommy Jackson
Christopher Nieto
Orville Tsinnie
Everett & Mary Teller