I’d appreciate any information on this beautiful ring, thank you.
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.
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!
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.
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!
How interesting! (The book came out several years ago, btw.) Are you able to screencap and post the hallmark shown on FB?
@chicfarmer I think most private groups kinda frown on that. I’ll grab one of the small pics from the post. I grabbed two!
Probably taking a bit more liberty than I should, hopefully Steven Curtis won’t mind as it’s for educational purposes!
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?
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
You could try Family Search. They are free and have lots of info.
Wow this has turned into a very interesting thread! Can’t wait to find out more!
Doesn’t this all point to Frank, not Fred, as the FWP hallmark?
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!
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.
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?
Okay. This is becoming more interesting by the minute! I think some things are about to change in the textbooks…
draft registration card downloaded from familysearch.org