I agree with you. Two possible flags that stand out to me on the OP’s fetish necklace are, 1) that mother-of-pearl fish fetish and, 2) the singular bird hanging like a pendant at the bottom of a strand. In my opinion, fetish necklaces are one of the most challenging pieces of jewelry to authenticate as Native American made.
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nah, that’s just a generic jewelry supply cone.
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Keshi is a great resource on fetish work and also a great place to shop.
The Turpens have been in Gallup in trading business since the early days. I believe they may be LDS, as are many of the old trading families. The name itself is old Norman-French, and the Turpens I’m familiar with are of European descent. Quite a few traders are fluent in Navajo, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find Navajo family members in the mix.
ETA: OB Enterprises was owned by Bill O’Niell. Bill had a mix of goods, Native and Non-native.
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