Hey y’all looking for a maker/makers and guesses on the turquoise… as always anything helps it is stamped a little high so possibly T H M but I do t think so.
Thank you kindly
Hey y’all looking for a maker/makers and guesses on the turquoise… as always anything helps it is stamped a little high so possibly T H M but I do t think so.
Thank you kindly
Oh that’s a pretty stone! I’m going to do what I always do and say Birdseye Kingman When I get a chance later tonight I’ll see if I can find anything on the hallmark if somebody else hasn’t already tried.
Edit: I believe birdseye is just a description of a type of Kingman with webbing.
@Lessonslearned Hi ~ I believe this stands for “Indian Hand Made, Sterling Silver”. I’m almost positive this is Kingman turquoise. Super nice Kingman!
@Patina @Ziacat thank you I was thinking that or it was the initials of a mine and ss being sterling. so looking for LS I guess you both rock!
As long as we rock turquoise I’m good with that!!
@Lessonslearned Here are 2 names you may want to checkout: Larry Sandoval, Navajo and Lula Mae Stago, Navajo. They both use “LS” as a hallmark according to Hougart’s 3rd edition of NA/Southwestern Silver Hallmarks book. Good luck! That’s a nice cuff.
@Patina Larry Sandoval looks correct the stamps look right but it looks like Larry kinda stagers his letters on a lot of them… if only we knew someone that was good at that
@Lessonslearned I just did a Google search on Larry Sandoval jewelry. On most of what I saw, the hallmark seems right for your cuff. So, I wouldn’t rule him out. But, of course, that’s just my opinion. Others here may be more familiar with Mr. Sandoval’s work/hallmark.
that stone is CHEF’S KISS perfect!!! gorgeous!!!
Oh yeah @Patina I’m pretty sure it’s him but I’ll have to do some more comparisons thanks!
IHMSS is an old “Indian Hammers” shop mark and it does indeed stand for Indian Hand Made, Sterling Silver. Indian Hammers was a Gallup NM jewelry workshop owned by Robert Garcia (or Gracia) back in the 70s. Robert passed from a brief illness in the late 70s or very early 80s. I believe the shop may have stayed open for a brief period after Robert’s passing.
@mmrogers Thank you for sharing this information. I have at least one or two pieces of turquoise jewelry hallmarked IHMSS. I didn’t realize that the hallmark is associated with a shop. (I thought it was only a declaration of authenticity.)
I thought the IHM/ SS was from Woodards Indian Shop, but looking now, I see they have the slash in a different place…Woodards is IHM S/S. Now I’m off to see what I can find on “Indian Hammers”, I’ve never even heard that name before. Thanks for all your first hand knowledge!
BTW, this link bracelet and earring set design of yours by Tommy Secatero was just auctioned off at a fundraiser! I missed it by a day!
@AC Ugh, sorry you missed out on it. That’s a great looking set - love the design.
Tom Woodard’s in Cortez CO? If so, Tom didn’t have a shop hallmark. I knew both Tom in Cortez and Phil in Gallup (Indian Jewelers Supply). Is there another Woodard?
Sorry you missed that bracelet/earring set. I designed that line for a German distributor client. It did OK there, but ended up being really popular in the US.
ETA: Did some research and found an interview with Tom. One of the images was a Woodard shop mark from his parents trading business, and IHM S/S. Referencing Steve’s post below it does look like there were other versions of the stamp floating around. Given the sawed triangle border style which didn’t come around until the latter part of the 70’s I do think the above bracelet probably came from Robert’s “Indian Hammers” shop in Gallup.
So it would seem UITA and Indian Jewelry Supply and the Woodard’s are all kind of intermingled. This entry in Bille Hougart’s book is what made me curious when I saw the IHM/ SS mark!
Never met the older generation Woodards, but I knew Phil and Tom Woodard well. Bought a lot of silver, tools and supplies from Phil and Indian Jewelers Supply over the years, and sold a lot of jewelry to Tom. Phil was a founding member of the Indian Arts and Crafts Association, and talked me into joining in 77 or 78. Still use a toolbox I bought at IJS in '73, and fair number of my tools in that box are from IJS in that era.
All very fascinating info!!! Loving the knowledge!