Just wanted to give an update.
The artist 2 miles down the road from me has recoivered from surgery in both eyes. her husband has recovered from quad bypass surgery.
Heer and I met on Saturday to go over my bracelet.
She does not feel comfortable soldering the setting to the cuff, so she wilol be riveting it on. She contcted Alltribes, who I purchased to blank cudd from. They said it might be coated. Trying to solder a setting on a coated cuff is a no no. When I pourchsded the cuff the desription said it was natural copper.
The braceletg will be done by this weekend and will post photos then.
This is not 100% Native made. The cuff was from All Tribes. The cab was sold as unknown AZ Turquoise from the 1970’s or 1980’s.
I had my Anglo artist neighbor set the turquoise and attach it to the cuff. It was her first time doing anything like this. She is an accomplished glass artist. Creates some other jewelry from brass, silver and copper. Instead of soldering the setting in place, she chose to rivet it. I will try to get some photos of the inside of the cuff.
All of my other Turquoise bracelets have small stones and are less than ¾” wide, so this one is much different. It is so difficult for me to find bracelet that fit my 5 ¾” wrists.
I have not seen anything similar to this one.
My neighbor said she loved creating this for me. It expanded her creativity and repertoire.
Ok, so I have to ask. Any thoughts on what a bracelet like this would sell for? I tried searching for something similar and came up empty. I am guessing less than what I paid for the materials and to have it made. I am OK with that. Someday, maybe I will figure out what type of turquoise it is.
Disclaimer: There is no way I will ever sell this. You will never see it listed on an internet selling page as long as I am alive.
Speaking from experience, there really isn’t much of a market for copper jewelry, and perceived value tends to be minimal. Perhaps owing to it’s extremely low value relative to silver, and in the world of Southwestern and Native American jewelry, its ubiquitous availability as a low cost curio items in roadside trading posts and specialty stores from the Harvey era on.
There’s a novelty and artistic value to high quality handmade copper items, but usually only those which like yours have real artistic content. From that perspective it’s pretty much whatever the buyer is willing to pay based upon the story behind it, and their internal calculus of its individual value to them personally.
Oh, yea! It’s really a beautiful piece! Is that pyrite I see sparkling in the stone? Once the patina starts, you’ll get some beautiful reds and purples throughout the copper. Congrats!
It is engraved with a heart, Tammy Rae and 2025. I coud not get a photo of that.
I wore this bracelet on Sunday and Monday. Could barely tell I had it on.
Came out beautifully, @fernwood . The first photo really didn’t do it full justice as the flash made it look like the setting might have been sterling. The copper setting is expertly done, makes complete sense, and really sets it off.
