These are the main reason I was excited to find the group. I got these from an auction and don’t know how they are used. And what they would be worth for insurance or if I need to sell. They are stunning! I have hunted deer but never got one in my younger days. I showed them to a couple close friends and one thought they were earrings! Ouch! These just take my breath away. The love put into them! They are 11” long from top of sterling hanger to antler tip. Just the small crescent moon mark… any info greatly appreciated!
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Hmmmm…those are pretty cool, but I have no clue what they are for, however, I would bet money they aren’t earrings. The hooks wouldn’t fit through a normal piercing. They could work as Christmas ornaments maybe. I have no idea of value or even if they are Native made.
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I think it’s in league with products offered by a seller on Etsy who calls similar antler items key chains or bag charms. Seems to be aimed at hunting enthusiasts. Not Native American, though some applied silver parts look Navajo.
Like some of the things here:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArrowRidgeCreations?ref=nla_listing_details
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You’re right no way earrings would tear anyones ear lobes. Thinking decoration but wondered if some significance! ??
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Very beautiful and useful! I’ve clicked antlers together during deer hunting season and the noise draws male deer to you. The hoops can be used to attach the antlers to your belt or clothes. You can look like a frontier’s woman.
Shoot, wear those and a fringe jacket at hunting season in Walmart and you’ll have to men fighting over you.Whoo-hoo!! Love will be in the air.
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Well that makes sense to me I remember hearing about rattling the antlers to get the bucks to come in! Sounds too dangerous to do in Wallmart I think I will pass! Maybe in a full gospel charismatic Pentecostal church where Holy Spirit has people rolling on the floor in laughter! 
Now that’s love in the air!
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They could be ceremonial. I believe the Hopi and Zuni have a deer dance— not sure about Navajo which is what this looks like to me if actually native. The stones look too finished and they aren’t on handmade chains so it’s hard to say.
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I was thinking ceremonial, too.
They are too ornate to use for rattling in the woods.
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i have a feeling these were NA-made custom one-offs for some anglo who wanted a way to commemorate a special hunting trip or a special trophy, rather than mounting a whole head to hang on a wall. my guess is they are necklace pendants.
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With all respect these antlers are small! I don’t know of any angalo, that I know, that would save them to decorate. Nor cut up a big rack to make them. It would cost a lot to have someone decorate them with silver so why not mount. They do save the ones they get along with sheds they find, collect, display in big baskets. But maybe my thinking is biased because the deer around here are big. I do believe they were very special to someone! I honor that! The auction was online from a Rocky Mountain tristate area. They posted them as Navajo, tho I know they could be wrong. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on them. The hooks to hang them are open. So I assume they were made that way to take off easily or move from one place to another easily. Would that be reasonable for a necklace? 11 inches long…
My father bought an Anglo made elk or deer belt buckle in Minnesota years ago, so it was cut up at one point.
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Thank you for your thoughts! Maybe will never know for sure… The twisted wire hooks for hanging are not normal Navaho? Do you mean Navajo would hang with hand made chain?
Maybe for storing Black Powder?
Nice, have seen a lot of antler jewelry etc, since I started hunting info on these. There is a local man when I had my bead store who made morel mushrooms out of deer antlers. They were like lacework hollowed out! I sold some in my bead store for him. I have a tiny pair on earrings. I wish I had kept one of the ones he made had two mushrooms one bent over made with one antler! The antlers I have are over the top for a jewelry piece. 11 inches long each. The hooks thick and wide to hang on something a bit substantial…… maybe will never know the intent…
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Tips don’t come off… good thought though! Thanks for your thoughts!
Maybe! Thanks! That Etsy shop is closed right now. Will keep trying to catch it open to look at!
my point was that they were probably not for native use, but i could see someone asking a NA to “do something with them,” for which i picture the silversmith saying “pay me and i’ll do xyz” as a commission piece. People do all sorts of crazy things with racks and sheds. we will likely never know. It may also be hippie work from the 70s - 90s for some sort of new age mystical purpose, or from a wannabe’s native-ish costume. (not meant to disparage the new age folk amongst us)
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I suppose it depends what their purpose is— it’s assumptions at this point. Are they to hang on a wall or hang on a ceremonial outfit. If they hang on an outfit, I wouldn’t use twisted wire.
Thanks for your observation on them hanging on an outfit with twisted wire! I felt they are decorations maybe for a special occasion. Most likely won’t know for sure. I think I will pay for Dr Lori the appraiser to appraise them. She is internationally know and a go to for even Mystery Island if you have heard of that show. I had her appraise 3 items before. I have learned a lot free watching her video’s on reselling about anything. Her video call for 10 minutes and she appraises 3 items is worth $59. I paid a bit more to have a written appraisal emailed after the call. With the crescent moon mark on the pieces I had hoped they were NA and the auction house saying they were Navajo. I was shocked I got them in the auction. Sorry I rambled on answering you! I just hope the information I share might benefit someone else who reads this. I enjoy everyone’s ideas… thanks again!
You’re welcome, but that wasn’t me 
I’ve only watched a bit of Dr. Lori, but when I watched her YouTube appraisal of Native American jewelry, she had a fair amount of incorrect information; granted, I didn’t watch much, but enough that I would not really trust her appraisals of Native art. But maybe she will have seen something like your antlers.
There is a Native hallmark of a crescent, but it’s not like yours, and that artist seems to work in a completely different style.
Good luck!
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