Heishi, Show What Your Holding

Thanks everyone for your input.
I might swing over there and review. I did see the green/tan one in person two weeks ago, and it was nice looking.
I pulled these photos from their website.
@here4turquoise , I will check to see if these are wampum, or just white clam shell.

2 Likes

The more I look at them, you could be right about this. Now I have to go back and see!

2 Likes

I look forward to seeing what you bring home.

1 Like

Love looking and reading about the heishi! Thanks for starting this thread. I happen to be the proud owner of a buncha inherited heishi but I know very little about it. I have wanted to sell it (need the $) but don’t know how to describe it or price it so am still sitting on it. Anyone know good sources for info on real heishi? Its mostly shell.

2 Likes

One more question, anyone know what the stones in this badly restrung choker besides the obvious turquoise and pipestone? When it broke I did my best which is not so great.

2 Likes

Possibly aragonite or natural yellow jade, agate? best guess.

1 Like

Maybe some kind of serpentine? Pretty necklace!

3 Likes

I was looking at a Pueblo jewelry site just now, and someone had a necklace with stones like yours. They were identified as serpentine.

1 Like

Could be. I live in an area with lots of serpentine, it has a wide color range including greens. Its very fractious around here, a challenge to carve. It also occurs with soapstone, another guess.

I’ll try doing a scratch test on one.

Everyone’s pieces are so gorgeous!
I have gobs of them (thanks to my step grandma) but, they’re not as spectacular as some of yours.
The 1st photo is those that were gifted to me. One year when I was a tween, I went down to visit the step grandfolks, and I was wearing a few turquoise rings that I never took off. My step grandma noticed and talked about them a bit, and then disappeared into her bedroom and came out with a few of these, and handed them to me. Since then, every visit with them yeilded more and more of these. I have no idea the source but, they traveled the South West quit a bit.



60’s 70’s pieces I believe and maybe a couple of more recent 80s pieces. Here’s a few of them.

The 2nd photo are a few of my purchases over the years. 1st is Gloria Chavez, 2nd is by Joe Hascheene, and the 3rd by Jon Mccray.

4 Likes

Very nice collection, especially from your steps @Phoenix7 Do post your more recent 80s pieces. I would like to see them too.

1 Like

I think they’re in the mix. I’m guessing. I received the gifted ones in the late 80s so, I’m thinking some could be from that decade.

2 Likes

I got you. Do you wear them? I have taken out my chuck pieces to wear every now and again.

1 Like

Yes, absolutely! I’ve had to restring several because the hook and eyes never stayed together on my neck, and I have a few more that I want to change the clasp on so that they get more wear.
They go really well with the boho look in lots of layers. :slight_smile:
Yours are stunning! I’d imagine you’ll get TONS of milage out of those beauties!

2 Likes

Your Jon McCray necklace, with pendant, is a real beauty.

3 Likes

Thanks @Patina :slight_smile: I got it to go with my Hubei bracelet because no other turquoise really matches Hubei.
I like the colors in it.

3 Likes

Love seeing everybody’s heishe. @here4turquoise your vintage natural two strand, possible Ray Lovato is to DIE for! Congrats! And @Ziacat I love your new Lita Atencio strand as well. Great buy! I always love checking out the heishe makers at the markets; I don’t think I will ever have enough.

Ok here’s mine. Inside to out:

Vintage Navajo or Pueblo jaclas of natural turquoise with spiny corn tabs, restrung as a necklace with handmade silver beads.

Piki Wadsworth orange spiny

Vintage natural turquoise, unknown mine

Cheyenne Grabiec jet tab necklace

Ray Lovato natural number eight single strand

And two pairs of jacla earrings:

Vintage unknown mine on the left

And natural Morenci by Cheyenne Grabiec on the right

9 Likes

@OrbitOrange Wow! You have wonderful collection! Thank you for sharing all of your necklaces and jaclas. Your vintage natural looks similar to my double strand in color. Is it greenish?

3 Likes

Beautiful stuff @OrbitOrange! Each one is lovely, but I really like the jet tab necklace, it’s stunning! :+1:

Thanks for sharing!

2 Likes