The artist hallmark on the back of a piece of jewelry tells us who made that piece. This category is for the Turquoise People community to help put a name to that hallmark.
calvin begay lawsuit against touch of santa fe
The legal conflict involving Navajo artist Calvin Begay and the jewelry manufacturing company A Touch of Santa Fe (TSF) centered on a consumer fraud and trademark enforcement action rather than a personal, standalone civil lawsuit filed by the artist himself. [1]
Case Background & Misrepresentation
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The Collaboration: Calvin Begay originally worked closely with A Touch of Santa Fe in Gallup, New Mexico. He authorized the shop’s bench artists and silversmiths to execute and fabricate his specific Southwest inlay designs. Jewelry produced during this time typically carried both Calvin Begay’s signature hallmark and the “TSF” stamp. [1, 2]
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The Split: Begay parted ways with TSF around the end of 2006 and rescinded authorization for the company to use his hallmark. [1]
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The Violation: After his departure, A Touch of Santa Fe continued using Begay’s proprietary designs and manufacturing the jewelry. Crucially, they continued stamping the new pieces with Calvin Begay’s name stamp without his authorization, marketing them to the public as the artist’s direct work. [1]
Legal Resolution
Because this practice violated consumer protection and authentic Native American art laws, the New Mexico Consumer Protection Division stepped in and successfully sued the dealer for fraud. The state won the lawsuit, establishing that the post-relationship manufacturing constituted unauthorized duplication and consumer deception. [1]
Additionally, the broader network of dealers associated with these operations faced significant federal scrutiny. Related legal disputes involving the unauthorized sale of Begay’s work surfaced in broader federal crackdowns under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, including major federal criminal cases in New Mexico (such as U.S. v. Nedal Aysheh, which involved retailers selling fraudulent Calvin Begay pieces). [1, 2]
Impact on Collectors
Because TSF continued using the exact same stamps after Begay left, it remains incredibly difficult for collectors to distinguish between an authorized piece made before 2007 and an unauthorized piece made afterward. Because the factory-style workshop environment “cranked out” a high volume of these dual-stamped pieces, the presence of a TSF stamp alongside Begay’s hallmark generally keeps the market valuation of those specific pieces modest compared to his completely independent, elite studio work. [1, 2, 3]
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100%.
I wont buy anything TSF for this reason.
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