https://auction.turquoisepeople.com/Listing/Details/182930/Vtg-Cahuilla-Margaret-CM-California-Native-American-Indian-Turquoise-Necklace
Purchased this Cahuilla Margaret necklace tonight. Before the purchase I did research which I’ll add here also. Need help with value and evaluation of materials please. I hope the collectability aspect is associated with the California connection and the rarity of the piece - I believe it rare in I wasn’t able to find other California American Indians Silversmiths working with Turquoise (mostly shell jewelry) and could not find examples of CA AI turquoise jewelry. Hoping the stones are from California. Thinking they may be gem-grade. -Will know better when item is received. Thinking the darkened matrix and rich color is the result of possible hand polishing as Martinez speaks about in the article below.
Necklace length 23.5″ end to end, Weight 43g, Signed - Cahuilla Margaret, CM, 93.
Was able to find Margaret’s last name in the only info I found about her here in this 1976 The San Bernardino County Sun article - “The interest in Indian jewelry and crafts was shown last week at the Malki Museum in Banning, Calif - when it was announced that Margaret Martinez would speak. So many people came, she had to do her demonstration twice. There was standing room only both times.” ““I try not to duplicate designs,” she said. “I use some of the old basket designs and put them into silver, copper or gold.” Abalone shell andor coral with turquoise is used in many of her pins and bracelets. As Mrs. Martinez talked, she created a silver The Pass-ing scene and turquoise pendant. She showed the various tools used in making pins and rings saws, files, and stamps made from files. A small blow-torch was used as a soldering iron and she worked on a sheet of asbestos. Turquoise can range in price from $2.25 a carat to $52 a carat for the best grade of blue gem. She answered questions about the quality of the stone and told where the different varieties are found. “I always polish my stones by hand,” Martinez said. And added that she had never taken a course in jewelry making. Her husband displayed the many awards she has won for her work. “Most Indian craftsmen are signing their work,” she said. “I use the initials CM. on my work. I hope we can form a California Indian artist and craftsmen association.” Torro said in his introduction that Martinez was the only Cahuilla doing this type of work.”
Couldn’t find any other info on Martinez. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2393838/1976_art_of_making_indian_jewelry_shown/
This photo was labeled CAHUILLA MARGARET/ 4-1-75. It lead to a dead-end on the eHumanity Site.
Amazing how hard it is to find info on California Turquoise. It’s fascinating how much North American history can be learned from a piece of jewelry! Wasn’t able to find examples of California’s Imperial, and Inyo Counties. Here are the few found for San Bernardino County.
File:Turquoise-40374.jpg - Wikimedia Commons Apache Canyon Mines in San Bernardino County
Misty Mountain San Bernardino purchased directly from the late Ed Nazelrod. 16.8oz of California Misty Mountain Mine Turquoise Spider Web Saw Rough | #439725929
Toltec Mine, Halloran Dist. San Bernardino County, CA Superb 6 lb lot of Stabilized Toltec Mine CA Turquoise rough | eBay
http://www.marinmineral.com/mixed337.html
Thanks all
got an online appraisal from a gallery in Cailf (to get a look at the market value in that State) and as well sent pics to another gallery hoping to connect stones to Calif - Neither could identify as Calif.