Hi
New member here. I inherited my grandmother’s turquoise collection from my Mother when she passed. I have close to 10 items. I am interested if anyone can help me identify this necklace and makers mark - TEX(X)?
Sorry for you loss, but you inherited some really nice items here. When asking for help with hallmark or makers mark identification, it really helps to have a picture of the actual mark, plus some good quality photos of the item the mark is on. That being said, what you’re describing sounds like a traders code (price code that traders would etch on the back of pieces) and not a maker’s mark.
welcome! this is a BEAUTIFUL Zuni knifewing station necklace. i wouldn’t call it strictly a “squash” because it doens’t have blossoms like Zuni petit point necklace next to it. I also see a couple of beautiful Zuni inlay belt buckles/sets at the top left.
For the knifewing, you might google image search to see if you can find any comparables. there are also a few knifewing collectors here who might have info to share. I believe for identifying most knifewings, the details in the hat and feet can be good identifiers. Most makers used consistent design elements in their inlay across their work.
**edit to add - for this one, that hat is very specific and i’ve seen it before, but can’t recall whose it is. he has a long straight body, corrugated cones by his knees, and half-moon curves on the wing inlay, which all also seems distinctive.
Beautiful jewelry!! I also love that cuff.
I believe you added a post to another thread that was discussing the mark “TEX,” and Jason said in that thread it is a trader’s code. If you would post a pic of the mark we could see if it looks the same.
So sorry for your loss, but it must be special to have her jewelry. Enjoy it as you remember her!
Thank you very much. I will try and get the requested photos. I can see the details in the great photos taken by members here. I was hoping for a maker’s mark on the pieces and I need to look closer.
Please let me know if this is the proper area to post my questions.
I wish that I had more details for provenance, but unfortunately my Mom passed before that happened.
Thank you very much for your help.
Best, Reddog53
It’s a really nice knifewing necklace. It would be mid century (approx 1950’s), and has hand made beads (an important feature that’s discussed elsewhere on this forum). Without seeing the mark, I’m almost certain that it is a trader’s code. This type of mid century Zuni inlay work is almost never hallmarked. It’s sometimes possible to make an attribution based on the specific design and inlay pattern, but I always take these unhallmarked attributions with a bit of a grain of salt. If you are facebook, you may want to post it in the group “Historic Zuni Jewelry” to get some opinions on maker.
@AC is our forum knifewing collector; any ideas AC?
Thank you all for your responses. I really appreciate it. I will be researching the pieces and provide better photos. Thank you very much.
Best,
Reddog53
@Reddog53, your necklace is similar in some respects to this one, which the seller attributed to Yelmo and Betty Natachu: Whether that seller’s attribution is correct, I do not know.
In any case it would certainly help to have close-up shots of your necklace, especially of the back (and any marks/hallmarks there).
Thank you. Yes, I plan on taking more photos this weekend.
The referenced photo does look very similar. Thank you.
Yes, I would agree with @chamekke, Betty and Guillermo “Yelmo” Natachu!
I have a similar ring!
Thanks for tagging me @OrbitOrange!
I am sorry for your loss.The knifewing necklace immediately caught my eye. Beautiful.
Glad that you enjoy it. Folks are so nice here. Thank you.
Good morning .
I took many photos of all of the jewelry. What is the best way to attach to an email without overloading your server/files? Thank you, Reddog53
Wow!!! You were very blessed by your grandmother and mother She apparently loved Zuni work. Are the earrings screw back?
Oh these are all beautiful; really nice collection! All of these are mid century Zuni (which I happen to be very partial to). The TEX mark is, as I suspected, a trader’s code, so unrelated to the maker of the necklace.
Are you emailing photos to someone for an appraisal? In my experience attaching them to an email hasn’t been a problem; often you can attach it as a medium sized file since this still gives plenty of detail but isn’t as huge as the full file.
Ring looks Navajo to me. I’m still loving the cuff in your first photo. What a beautiful collection.
I would like to get an appraisal. I need to figure out how to do that. Thank you.