Hi,
Would the initials on this bracelet be the hallmark of the artist? I have been told that if they are handwritten they are sometimes the initials of the owner. I have searched but haven’t found hand written J M hallmark. If it is turned sideways it looks like the number 34 which doesn’t help either. Would this be an early piece or does it appear modern? I appreciate any input.
Thank you!
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I’m guessing it could be a shop or trader’s code for pricing. No idea on age, but doesn’t appear to show a lot of wear. Pretty cuff!
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Mass-produced Fred Harvey Era is my opinion, or within 10 years of it. Etched initials are not related to the maker. These were made with machine stamping and assembly line processes. If the stamping was done with one individual tool you would see repeated patterns in each stamp of the same kind. Machined stamps would often use 2 to 4 stamps sometimes on wheels. You would see few repeats.
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This looks hand fabricated from sheet and wire. Shank looks like it was split with a chisel type stamp, with a piece removed from the center fork to allow the shank to lay flat on the backplate. There are remnants of score marks used to layout the split shank area.
This may have been one of several similar bracelets made, but I don’t agree that it was mass produced. Stamps look authentic and handmade to me. Likely post Harvey era, but also likely has some real age to it.
Initials are anyone’s guess, but it’s unlikely the original silversmith took the time to make something like this and then carelessly scratched their initials into it.
Looks Navajo made and authentic.
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