Found this at a local flea market but can’t seem to find the hallmark listed anywhere. Any ideas?
Dan
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I often see these described as concho fringe earrings. Sometimes with a hallmark of QT for Quoc Turquoise, which I think is a Southwestern jewelry-making company.
All this to say, I don’t know your maker, but there are others out there, like this pair on Etsy.
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Okay, someone selling earrings of this type is identifying the maker as “T.K. Emerson.”
I am seeing different signatures for T.K. Emerson, though, some with the name printed out.
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Hi- Thanks so much for your reply, much appreciated. I also found “TK Emerson” with the name printed out which made me skeptical as to whether they were Emerson. Artisans have been known to use several different hallmarks so I’m still a bit skeptical, though I must say that I can’t find any other TK (in a circle) on any other websites. Your insight has helped greatly in making me do more research (a very good thing for a neophyte like myself). Should you find any other info I’d appreciate an update and I’ll certainly do the same. Thank you for your time and effort.
Dan
I have earrings with tk also
Don’t know who TK is, but these are machine stampings, not handmade.
I knew Quoc back in the day. Used to see him at trade shows, and was invited to tour his shop once (across the street, catty corner from mine). He had quite an operation. His workforce was almost exclusively Vietnamese.
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It looks like the style of TK circle matched a lot with Quoc’s stuff. Fringed, concho, etc. And I looked up the design of Quoc, they just looked different from known NA designer’s. Could this be a Quoc piece using a different trade mark other than QT as now people know to avoid native “inspired” jewelry like QT and would prefer to purchase directly from NA members…
This is clearly a machine stamping, and not something anyone knowledgeable would associate with Native American handmade jewelry. Stylistically it does attempt to imitate Navajo stampwork, but falls far short of looking anything like ‘authentic’. The look is common, generic, and typical for mass production imitation Navajo jewelry. I wouldn’t attribute the style to Quoc, or anyone else specifically. If anything, I might be inclined to look into Taipei company “Ivan” as a possible source.
The initials may be a brand, or private label mark. No telling what outfit actually made it.
I remember seeing tubs full of this stuff at different trade shows in the 80’s and 90’s.
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