This beautiful set arrived to live at my house today. The squash blossom necklace weights 413g and is 17” from the hook to the bottom of the naja. The naja itself is 2 1/2” by 2”. It is hallmarked MD. The stones are nearly white with a slight blue tinge.
The earrings are two stones each with screw/clip fasteners. The ring has a similar stone but is hallmarked H. I have not researched it. The only MD that I’m finding in Hougart’s and Barton Wright’s is Mary Dayea and her hallmarks are different.
I am interested in discovering who MD is. I would also like to get an idea about the quality of the turquoise and an approximate value. Thanks for your help.
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It probably is Mary Dayea, one of her two known hallmarks. If you look in the second edition hardcover they show a hallmark of M D with the D enlarged and a bit “crooked” just like your pic.
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Thanks for your help. Both books I checked only showed two hallmarks and they were different. Are you familiar with her work?
That’s the best I can come up with. While the books say they are conjoined or underlined other sources state they are not. Since she was born in 1924 & passed away in 2004 it is very possible that someone else is using the same initials for their work. Your piece looks a little to modern to have been done by her.
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Great piece, the look you want when buying Dry Creek. Found this one and your piece is nicer. When I think of Mary Dayea I think of more cast work.
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Thank you. I guess one of these days I may find out who the artist is. In the meantime, MD was my Mother’s maiden initials. I need to take a picture of the Apache Blue cuff next to the squash blossom. It has considerably more blue but with the matrix it blends quite well. Is there a way to guesstimate a value on this necklace. With a total weight of 413g how do decide how much is silver and how much is turquoise?
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That is quite a bolo. Didn’t realize it was that large until I read the listing. Quite a price too.
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Looks like the stone in the bola broke clear across the top and was repaired with a bronze epoxy or epoxy mixed with brass filings to look like Matrix. There are several additional tell tale fractures on the extreme right hand side of the repaired area. Even re-cut it would be a fairly large stone, but ‘as is’ the (apparently) broken stone is likely to negatively affect value.
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You are right. I hadn’t seen that. How negatively would you think?
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What a beautiful set! For me, I don’t prefer squash necklaces (just not my thing), but I love to look at them and see them on other people; they are so classic. And don’t normally love Dry Creek turquoise, but this is amazing! But…that cuff. Dang. It’s awesome.
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Usually a glaring flaw like this easily halfs the value. The stone in this piece is the star. If this came to me, I’d remove, recut the stone, and make a new setting for it. Some of the value of the current setting could be reclaimed by cutting a new stone to fit. Wouldn’t necessarily have to be turquoise, but it would have to be good quality, and intact.
Honestly, as is, I’d simply pass on it.
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Someone put that up there as a comparison of the hallmark. It is definitely not some thing that I was planning to buy. I’ll just hang onto the squash blossom and enjoy it. But thank you very much for explaining how much of a difference that makes.
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Got some more Dry Creek I see. That necklace is massive! And gorgeous! Good to see you are home and on the mend.
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Thank you. Yes I’m home and this was my “I survived “ purchase. Getting stronger everyday and my exercise has been cleaning-cabinets, closets, drawers etc. The house is starting to feel lighter and I’m healing. It’s a win-win situation. 
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@Jason I’m still trying to figure out the value of my Dry Creek squash blossom necklace. I’m not finding anything comparable. The biggest glaring difference is the weight. Mine weighs 413 grams-just the necklace. The comps I’m finding are all weighing about 200-250 grams. I’d really like to know because this one definitely needs to be documented for the children.
Is there a way to determine how much is turquoise weight vs how much is silver weight? Thanks for your help. 
Only way to get those weights is to take out the stones and you don’t want to do that. Lets say we have 300 carats that would be about 3 ounces. I think the best thing to do is take a guess at what you think you would see this listed for, I am putting it around $3750ish.
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Thank you so much. I’ve been driving myself crazy trying to figure out how to calculate by weight of silver vs turquoise. Was hoping to come across a mathematical equation that would figure it out.
I appreciate your help and now I can breathe and put your number on the paperwork.
Well the math behind it is simple. It’s 2.64 x what you paid for it minus what you paid for it + 1/2 what you wished it was worth!
ps = simply gorgeous, I’d be proud to wear it till the kids want it.
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Thanks for the math equation. According to the calculations I made out like a bandit! 
And I intend to be wearing this baby for a long while yet!
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