Hello. I’m a newbie to the forum. I have dealing with antiques and collecting my entire life. I have a growing interest in the collecting of Native American pottery art and turquoise jewelry. I don’t have any expertise in the area and just collect what I am drawn to. I recently met a gentleman who has a small collection of turquoise material. If anyone can chime in with their opinion on what we have here and how to value it I would appreciate your input. Thanks
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Hello and welcome! I really like the stones, especially the rough nuggets. Looks like nice, hard turquoise with strong color to me.
It’s considered to be (near) impossible to identify turquoise from a photo, but if i had to try i would say that some of it closely resembles some Sleeping Beauty that i have, and that some stones might have originated from Nevada (the pieces with black chert inclusions). But it’s all guesswork.
As for value, there is a very big difference depending on if it is known from which mine a stone originated or not. I would try and ask the gentleman if he has more information about this.
And if i am not mistaken the necklace is a single strand of what is usually called liquid silver (with a few nuggets incorporated).
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Can you share why you’re considering shopping with this person, and what he says about the turquoise? Is he a specialist you can trust, or someone you came across randomly? If you’re a true beginner, unable to tell Native vs. import, fake vs. real, etc., best to stick to decent, known sources. Otherwise you’ll get burned, a lot.
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Hi @T-rex . As a person who has collected both native America Pottery and jewelry for many years, I can understand your desire to start your collection. I agree with @@chicfarmer , until you feel comfortable, stay with knowledgeable, experienced sources to both learn and make purchases. I made many mistakes when I started! Try to pick up a few books on the subject, and if possible, attend a Native American art show and talk with both artists and sellers…buy the best you can afford. We don’t give appraisals here, we’re just individuals who appreciate Native American jewelry and enjoy sharing our knowledge and collections. If you spend some time reading the posts, you can learn a lot. Also you can ask questions about a piece of turquoise or jewelry.
Regarding the grouping you posted, there is some nice looking turquoise in the group. But if the seller does not offer specific information as to where the turquoise came from…be cautious. And what would you do with these pieces. Do you just want turquoise, or do you want turquoise from a known mine, or jewelry from a known artist.
Just my thoughts…there’s a lot to learn!
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You also need to disclose the price. That gives a general basis. Price vs carat weight, size, appearance.
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