I’d appreciate any information on this beautiful ring, thank you.
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Beautiful ring with really nice spiderweb Turquoise. Did not find the hallmark on the ring, but I would definitely research that more. The ones with similar F P hallmarks includes some prestigious makers.
I can’t identify the Turquoise per se, but I think it may actually be American. If it’s Chinese, it’s high-grade.
It would definitely be a keeper in my book.
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Nice ring, love the turquoise! Like @Islandmomma, I’m frustrated with the hallmark. Without the W. I’d swear it was Fred Peshlakai’s! He used a lot of Lone Mountain turquoise, which this could be(?). I’m no expert, I’m just expressing my thoughts. Hope you can find the artist, it’s a wonderful ring!
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That was the name that I was thinking also but didn’t want to say without knowing. The turquoise is wonderful. Maybe that hallmark will show up in an older book or article somewhere.
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So, It seems like this is a Fred Peshlakai piece! A cuff with the same hallmark was posted in the “Historic Navajo Jewelry” Facebook group. It has been identified as Fred Peshlakai’s work by Steven Curtis who just published a book on the subject!
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How interesting! (The book came out several years ago, btw.) Are you able to screencap and post the hallmark shown on FB?
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@chicfarmer I think most private groups kinda frown on that. I’ll grab one of the small pics from the post. I grabbed two!
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Probably taking a bit more liberty than I should, hopefully Steven Curtis won’t mind as it’s for educational purposes!
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OMG…I thought the F. And P. Looked exactly like a typical Fred Peshlakai hallmark! interesting that Steve had no idea why the W. was used. And I’m glad he brought it is Lone Mountain Turquoise - beautiful! This is the hallmark in one of my Peshlakai rings:
Since it it felt that Frank Peshlakai also used the F. P. I wonder what his middle name is?
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the sources cited by copilot, adobe gallery & browns trading were simply links to previous sales of jewelry identified as being made by Frank.
https://www.adobegallery.com/artist/frank-peshlakai-1903-1965
https://www.brownstrading.com/RARE-HALLMARKED-FRANK-PESHLAKAI-TURQUOISE-BRACELET-p/cgmbr1.htm
https://www.brownstrading.com/RARE-HALLMARKED-FRANK-PESHLAKAI-BRACELET-p/fdfrb.htm
so I dug deeper
I don’t have full access to that ancestry website but they appear to show Wilson on a draft card.
I guess ai needs to pay for access to ancestry.com in order to give better answers
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You could try Family Search. They are free and have lots of info.
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Wow this has turned into a very interesting thread! Can’t wait to find out more!
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Doesn’t this all point to Frank, not Fred, as the FWP hallmark?
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I had the same thought as @chicfarmer last night but was hesitant about posting. Here’s my 2 cents worth: the OP’s ring, with F.W.P., shows a hallmark that looks to be in a chop/chopped lettering style (chop/chopped is a term used in Hougart’s 3rd edition hallmarks book). In @Steve’s researched info, it shows the name Frank W. Peshlaki (brother) and jewelry hallmarks used by Frank. Frank’s hallmarks appear, to me at least, to be in that chop/chopped lettering style. Fred’s hallmarks are different from that style, imo. I’m leaning toward the F.W.P. being Frank’s hallmark but, I guess we won’t know for sure until some proof (i.e., military records) shows that Fred Peshlaki also had a middle name and it begins with a “W”. This is a very interesting thread!
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Did some checking.
Frank on Find a Grave:
This also contains a newspaper clipping.
Minimal info on Family Search:
Franklin W. Peshlakai.
Birth: 15 July 1903
Crystal, San Juan, New Mexico, United States
Death: 3 December 1965
Gallup, McKinley, New Mexico, United States
Married to Loris (JoJo) Ponzo.
Could find no Military records.
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Whoa! I read the newspaper clipping. Frank’s survivors include a brother, Fred K. Peshlaki of Los Angeles. Look at that middle initial “K”! Could this be the famous Fred Peshlaki?
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Okay. This is becoming more interesting by the minute! I think some things are about to change in the textbooks…
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