1980’s Cast/Stamped Findings and Cabs

[fernwood]

Thinking this might help with understanding what rings look like before the casting marks are removed.
How to recognize the difference between cast and stamped items.
And, just for fun, some cabochons from the 1980’s.

Everything. All purchased from Thunderbird Supply, Gallup, NM in about 1986.

Cast and stamped jewelry findings. Notice that some have a blob on them and others are smooth. The smooth ones are stamped.

Close up of a cast, sterling ring blank. This has not had any of the casting marks removed from it.

Close up of a sanded, cast ring blank. This one was sanded to remove the casting marks. Sterling was stamped on it.

Cabochons from the mid 1980’s. Some have black epoxy under them. I do not know what mine(s) the larger ones are from.

The Turquoise was represented as natural, Sleeping Beauty. The coral as natural, not dyed, red coral.

I made some jewelry from both of these. The Turquoise picked up a greenish tint over the years, so I do not think they are stabilized.

Many of these castings/stamped items are still available for purchase.

[mmrogers]

Really excellent post Fernwood! Shows the placement of sprues on the back of these pieces very nicely.

[fernwood]

Thanks. Hopefully it will be of help.

[Ziacat]

Definitely! Thank you for this post. I really had no idea about this topic until I joined the forum. And your info further explains it.

[chamekke]

What a wonderfully informative post, @fernwood ! I’ve never seen these components before; it’s all intensely interesting. Nice to have a bit of chronological spread on the info, too. I really appreciate the thought, care and time you put into these photos and the accompanying text — thank you!

[fernwood]

Adding a close up of the settings. I think I read somewhere here that Native jewelry usually did not include round embellishments.
These settings were made by Navajo’s in the workshop at Thunderbird. Or at least that was what we were told by Thunderbird.
At the time, I was also purchasing items to make jewelry for where I worked. Was given a tour of the workshop.

I remember seeing lots of jewelry being sold at the Gallup flea market and on the overlooks at Canyon de Chelly by Navajo’s. Many items used these or similar settings.