I just ordered this last night online. I believe that it’s pretty old - I think the spirals throughout the piece originate from using coin silver. Is there anything in the design that stands out to you, or any other details that come to mind? Genuinely just wanting to learn anything about it.
No apparent hallmarks or stampings on the back.
Hi and welcome,
Can you explain what you mean by “spirals throughout the piece”? Maybe add a photo pointing to what you’re referring to?
Also, do you know the gram weight, which can help with understanding era and manufacture?
Discerning the nature of the silver would require seeing more macro-setting type close ups of the silverwork, including the reverse of the shank (i.e., the interior of the bracelet). Also it would help to know if the silver is consistent in thickness across the cuff, vs. varying.
Sorry, I’ve never posted much about jewelry, so I hope my initial post wasn’t too confusing. Total weight is 27.41 grams. The seller verified it was sterling silver (92.5%) with an acid test, but I’m wondering if an acid test would distinguish the subtle lesser amount of silver in coin silver (90%).
I hope this helps!
Still a bit confused; what do you mean by spirals throughout? Did the seller claim it’s older, and how old did they say? It’s very pretty.
This is what I was referring to “with spirals through out”. The seller said it was vintage but had no idea how old.
Sorry, it’s still unclear what you mean. Are you talking about the twisted wire that surrounds the stone’s bezel? That’s literally the only “spiral” I can see. If this is what you mean, it’s a very common element in vintage bracelets and isn’t indicative of coin silver by itself. If you could post an edited photo pointing to what you’re talking about, this would help a lot.
Also: what in particular do you want to know about this bracelet? Only if it’s coin vs. sterling? Again, better closer pics could be helpful to see the silver. The gram weight isn’t very high for what would be typical of a coin silver bracelet of this likely period. Without other info, I’d lean to sheet silver, as in, commercially available as opposed to hand forged.
Welcome! I’ve provided a link that can give you some info regarding the style of bracelet you have.Split Shank, Pretty Girl and Wire Bracelets | Native American Jewelry Tips
Also look up “Fred Harvey style”
It looks like there may be polishing compound in the tight spaces of your bracelet. I point this out because your piece is bright all over even in recesses that may not get cleaned when polished with compound unless someone was over zealous which may be the case with your bracelet. So even though it may be vintage it looks new.
You can test for coin silver with acid. If you haven’t done this before, get a piece you know is sterling, do the test on a clean (free of tarnish)spot on the back of the known sterling piece and using the guide that comes with the acid kit compare the color of acid reacting on the sterling piece with the color of the acid reacting on your bracelet (again an inside spot). Or if you have a jeweler they may be able to do it for free or very little.
Hi all, yes it looks to be Fred Harvey Era. Sometimes known as a slug bracelet or railroad jewelry. A good link to learn more about this type of jewelry is https://fredharveyjewelry.com/
I think the swirls you are referring to are the stamped markings. While they do look similar to the ridges on a coin, they are actually done using metal stamps. This type of jewelry was often manufactured by machines. They were mass-produced initially for the railroad tourism trade. Many companies got into the act from the west coast through to the east coast. Some in the midwest employed Native Americans and others did not. There is a very good story about Fred Harvey and how he got started with lunch counters at railway stations. He built quite an empire from these that included some very prominent hotels. More info on those here. http://www.harveyhouses.net/
I take a special interest in this very sought-after type of jewelry as my great grandmother was a Harvey Gal in my hometown in Kansas. I hope it does turn out to be coin silver, but very unlikely. only about 2% of what I run across turns out to be coin silver. Even the ones marked “coin silver” are 925. Indian Handcrafts a company form the 1920s marked theirs, IH Coin Silver. It was just part of their hallmark and not a reference to the silver content.
If this peaks your interest there is a very good reference book titled “Fred Harvey Jewelry 1900 - 1955” by Dennis June. It is a treasure trove of photos, information on styles, knockoffs etc.
my apologies but…
piques,not peaks or peeks
now u can show off 
@Christibo How great that you had a Harvey gal in your family! My first trip to the La Posada in Winslow was with a small group of friends when it had just opened. We arranged to have a presentation by some ex-Harvey girls (they were likely in their 70’s). In the huge upstairs area, when they still had the wonderful huge wood burning fireplace, they set a table using original Harvey China, and told wonderful stories about their experiences! Great memories! I still love to stay at the La Posada, but it was so special in the early days.
Thanks for mentioning Dennis June’s book. It is a great reference and Dennis was a great guy!
Eons ago I edited a paper doll book of the Harvey Girls. What a cool project.
A couple of thoughts on this. The bracelet is hand made. The bracelet shank is fashioned from three strips of milled sheet (milled sterling sheet from a supply house, rather than coin silver). The sheet itself was cut with a hand shears into three equal strips, with the two outside strips being shaped with pliers, and then soldered together with the straight center strip to form the shank. The stamps are handmade in the Navajo fashion, and as others have pointed out, the swirls are impression tool marks from stamping on the back side of the plate.
The stone looks like Persian turquoise and is natural, but is a lower grade stone. I would estimate the bracelet was likely made in the late 60s or early 70s rather than in the 40s or 50s, and is made in the old fashioned Fred Harvey style. However, the half round sections embellishing the top and bottom of the setting look to me more like early 70s work, than anything from the 40s or 50s. Probably around fifty years old, give or take.
This bracelet is a classic split shank bracelet, not three pieces soldered. Split shank is made of one sheet that’s cut to create openings, hence the name. The three-piece soldered type surely exists in this era, but it clearly looks like separate bars or wires that are joined only at the terminals.
The Fred Harvey book and online sources describe and show the difference.
is your real name “merlin”?
day-am,you’re amazing
Have seen many, many bracelets made both ways.
Thank you all - I have learned a lot through this thread. Now that I know the difference in what they are called, I will have to check some of my cuffs and see if they are split shank or wire…
I respect your eye and experience as a maker, Michael, so we’ll just have to get over this somehow. 
I can imagine those lines at the ends being scoring rather than solder lines, in order to assist getting the registration right for stamping (not that I know in fact this was a practice). Absent holding the darn thing in my hand with a loupe, I’m going on what’s well established in the literature on split shank work and exposure to a fair amount of FH type cuffs.
Either way, we’ve probably given the OP whatever help is available concerning style and era.
That sounds amazing! We stayed at La Posada once a few years after it opened; they were still working on it. Recently I was able to go in and look around now that it’s done (I think it’s done). It’s so beautiful. We didn’t stay then, because we were volunteering at the Naomi House a few miles down I40.
Oh my I wish I had asked my mom so much more about her train trip in 1945 from Fort Wayne to California. She couldn’t remember everywhere she stayed, but she was always so interested in Fred Harvey stuff, I believe from that trip. I do have her sketchbook though! And some old earrings.
Thank you! The construction of this was definitely something I had no clue about. Do you think that this might have been something made by a Navajo as a gift or other purpose aside from being sold commercially?
