When I visit an estate sale I automatically buy anything that looks Native American. I don’t inspect it or think about it, I just buy it. Maybe some of you were once like me, so no judgements please. So this is what I got this evening. I know it’s not fancy but I have no criteria for what I buy. So what do y’all think about these? They are sterling. I acid tested them. All are fairly light weight. You can see by all the dents and dings. I think I overpaid on the bracelet, but the earrings were reasonable. Are they native made? Or just made to look that way? How much would y’all expect to pay for items like these? Do you recognize any of these hallmarks? I still feel like a novice even though I have been looking and trying to learn for what seems like quite some time. The square earrings are boulder turquoise? Sorry about the low light pics!
Ballpark: If I were shopping my excellent gigantic flea market and found these, the prices would be something like: earrings, marked at $50 per pair but selling at $30-35 each pair; cuff, asking price $145 or even as much as $175 but selling for, oh, $125 depending on seller’s mood. (This is not material I personally buy but just an idea of what I’d see in the wild.) I can’t speak to whether the turquoise set is Native made or not.
Again, the amount of stuff being sold in this range is vast, vast, vast. To me it makes sense to think about the goal in purchases, which helps when you learn as you go.
There was a post back in 2019 about a concho belt that looked to have the same AB hallmark as your earrings. There was no conclusion as to maker on that post. https://forum.turquoisepeople.com/t/recognize-the-maker/4155
My guess on the earrings are that they are both NA made but hallmarks are unknown. Same for the bracelet. The RS could by Raymond Secatero or Roger Skeets but neither are known for shadowbox designs. I really like the cuff and shadowbox designs can be quite light and still be high quality. And I love stampwork so I would be drawn to the cuff and the earrings.
If I saw them at an estate sale I would buy them too. My buying requirements are: it has to fit and it has to be something I would wear. My decision when I started buying was that it would be a personal collection of wearable art. There is so much to buy out there that if I bought totally indiscriminately I would be broke. So if the ring doesn’t fit I don’t buy it (for example) even if I could size it up or down. I just have to say Nope it wasn’t meant to be.
I guess without provenance I would be willing to pay $50 or so for the earrings and maybe $150 for the cuff. But I really know less to nothing about value, especially if I can’t touch and inspect it. But I would probably try and work a deal since I was buying all three together. Course it makes is difference if you are buying on 1st day of an estate sale.
I agree with Malberg - buy what you enjoy wearing, that you an afford. I have seen stamped hoops on various online auctions - they can be found for $20-30. The stone earrings, maybe double that depending on size. The bracelet IDK. I don’t see any huge red flags for being imports, but it’s hard to tell much with simple block letter hallmarks.
EDIT - i just realized how large the hoops look next to the shadow box bracelet. my estimate might be low-ball.
Ok, so this is really weird. I just joined the site a few days ago, and one of the first posts I read after joining (although I have been reading posts for months) was an old one that had a pendant like a pin I own.
So now this cuff…I have almost the exact same cuff except the stamping is a bit different. Size same, shadow box same, turquoise and coral similar in same order on cuff. Mine is also light but that didn’t bother me. Mine does not have any hallmark.
I bought mine in 1990 or 91 at a Native Art shop in Silverton (can’t remember the name but I think it’s still there). I paid about 90.00 back then. I would post a pic but haven’t got to figuring that out yet. Still just wanting to read and enjoy!!
Thanks, I am going to have to do a little research on those A.B. names! The mark is exactly the same as on those conchos!
Thanks for all the replies! it is helpful to get others ideas and perspectives. Estate sale prices here are usually less than what I can buy items online for, so I tend to go nuts and just buy whatever I can find. Its the only way I can afford the jewelry that I have. But, I probably do need a little focus. That being said there typically is not enough to buy that I will go broke. I also look at handmade items as wearable art as well. I wore my cuff today and love it due to the fact that it fits so perfectly comfortable. I love the look of the sterling hoops but they pulled on my lobes so much that I was scared to wear them. I will have to try them out for a shorter duration of time to start with. I am a firm believer that jewelry needs to be worn so if items I buy don’t fit right, or are uncomfortAble I usually resort to trying to sell online. Thanks again everyone! Y’all are awesome!
If you end up not liking the earrings because they feel to heavy let me know and we might be able to work up a deal. I am crazy nuts for stamped sterling. even if I could only wear them for an hour or two
i have switched out all my conventional earring backs for something like these, which are comfortable and do a better job of holding up heavier earrings. silicone!
Thanks MAL, I will do that. Cool earring backs. I have never seen those.
Seconding @Jemez2 's note about those larger disc earring backs. A cheap solution to spreading the weight of the heavier earrings and making them hang right. Can be bought at any craft or jewelry store. I’ve swapped out all of mine for these.
I think you got the real deal here. But agree with others that it’s not the wisest way to buy, all willy-nilly (I’m also guilty as charged of that!). I’ve changed my strategy also to only buying stuff I love and will wear, and also wear without expensive resizing and such, although there are occasional exceptions if the price is right for the piece (including factoring in the cost of alteration), or It’s something so great that I can’t pass it up.
Another guideline…ask yourself how disappointed you’d be if it turned out not to be native made (or real stones, or whatever your criteria is). If you’re not sure what you’re buying, the “if” criteria of that case will help you keep a goal price in mind and stick to it.
yes it does! I think your turquoise pieces are bigger. but very much the same style.
As an Estate sales owner/liquidator, please be careful on the NA jewelry. Many companies do not take the time or effort to research. They just compare prices with ebay etc. You may get lucky and find some estate sales slipping. If you know your NA jewelry as well as any jewelry marked low,jump on it.