Thank you, glad you enjoyed seeing these! Very reasonable guess. Not jade; will disclose but not this minute. 
5 Likes
Beautiful, beautiful!! I love all the mixed stones in the necklace, and of course Iām partial to tufacast pieces. I was thinking you said you still need a tufacast cuff? Although Mickey is pretty dang cute, so he could do the job.
I just recently became familiar with Monty Clawās work, and I love it. I think I heard he had some serious health problems.
So are you saying thatās not turquoise? It reminds me of Chrysoprase. Could it even be emerald (although I feel a little clueless guessing that 
)?
I was only out in Santa Fe one time in the fall, and we drove north to Taos, and stopped at a couple small towns along the way where they were selling chile peppers. It smelled soooo good. I bought a ristra, and brought it home on the plane. Probably couldnāt do that anymore (I think that was in '88 or so).
The book is very interesting, and I see that Charles Loloma was the artist.
6 Likes
Wow, stunning pieces! The necklace, particularly, is just a five-alarm stunner.
Iām with @Ziacat , Iām guessing a ārawā emerald? (Iām not entirely sure why Iām using that word, I think Iāve heard more-opaque emeralds (or rubies?) described this way but I might just be losing it).
That little volume with the Loloma illustrations is a real find, whoa! If you find some time to share more photographs, Iād love to see more of it.
All the roasted chile talk has me quite homesick. What a wonderful time of year to visit!
7 Likes
Thanks for indulging the guessing game, folks. @Ziacat 
yes, itās gem grade chrysoprase. It does look like a cousin of jade and emerald. It has some translucence and a soft glow that my pics maybe donāt capture. Anyhoo yes, I AM OWED my own tufa cast bracelet (lol) but truly, I was out there with a completely open mind to what might appear.
We just love NM in the fall, our regular time to go. We were there a hot second before Balloon Fiesta and after the busiest times in Santa Fe. Did see balloons arriving!
@riobravo Thanks, and Iāll see about adding other illustrations. A charming little book.
7 Likes
Beautiful necklace and cuff! Iām glad you enjoyed NM!
We traveled up to northern NM this weekend for a quick overnight visit. Itās getting cooler now, so very enjoyable indeed.
4 Likes
@chicfarmer You picked up a stunning Abalone necklace. I will have to look closer at pieces like this.
The Claw piece is so unique. He is not doing well health wise. If anyone is looking for his pieces, contact him through Instagram dm. I feel like he would appreciate the sale.
The gent wears the cuff well. I like everything about it and really like to see men wearing native jewelry.
4 Likes
It is a beautiful stone; it does have a soft glow. Yes! You are owed a tufacast cuff. In a similar vein, I keep telling myself I would like a large Hopi cuff (the gorgeous one you have got me thinking that way), but, like you, Iām always open to whatever truly draws me in.
I would love to go back in the fall, but itās just a hard time of year for me with work. At least now my husband has enough job seniority that we can go in the spring. I really love that time of year.
4 Likes
That necklace is TDF 
Beautiful finds. The Mickey naja is adorable. My guess would have been chrysoprase or gem silica. That cuff is magnificent.
3 Likes
Boy Howdy! Thatās some beautiful NA jewelry that found you in the gorgeous state of NM! The glow of your heishi necklace is mesmerizing. That cuff, though, chefās kiss. My guess was chrysoprase, too, for the stone. Glad yāall had a wonderful trip. NM is extra enchanting in the Fall.
4 Likes
Well now, this is intriguing. I think that details provide great substance. Those that arenāt interested in your ātravelogueā can just keep on moving. Personally, Iād love to read more about your experiences. 
Thank you for sharing your beautiful new acquisitions. Your heishi is outstanding and your husbandās new cuff is a knockout! 
The texture on the Mickey naja is beautiful, and the gloves at the terminations signing āthumbs upā are great. 
Iām particularly fond of your copy of Little Hopi, thatās just too cool. Iām with @riobravo, Iād be grateful to see more of it.
What a wonderful time of year to visit! Iām glad to hear you had a great time and made it back safely!
5 Likes
Aww thanks for your interest, and yes I can spill a little. First encounter of this sort was with the 8th-generation Rio Grande weaver Emily Trujillo in Chimayo, daughter of Irvin and Lisa Trujillo at Centinela Arts. Irvin is world renowned for his brilliance and traditionality as a weaver and was recognized as such by the National Endowment for the Arts. Weāve visited the shop regularly over the years. This time, Emily was on premises and casually asked if we knew about the weaving tradition. It was the opportunity to have her do her thing, and she did, explaining about Hispanic weavers in northern NM. Without being invasive I can share that she explained a masterpiece she had made that was on the wall. The design and semi-wild color palette were directly inspired by listening to K-Pop (!) songs that helped her process a difficult personal problem. This gorgeous young woman with long fuschia hair is tucked up in Chimayo, blasting K Pop in her ears while becoming a master weaverā¦I live for this kind of insight into how arts change and stay the same.
https://www.chimayoweavers.com/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage&options%5Bprefix%5D=last&q=emily
In Santa Fe we spent a good long time looking at pottery in the few excellent galleries, one of which is King Galleries. The young gallery director on the floor was gracious and answered questions and we chit chatted. Eventually I thought to ask about a case with works by one of the living greats of Native pottery: Nancy Youngblood (Santa Clara), granddaughter of Margaret Tafoya. The director disclosed that he was Joseph Youngblood, her son, himself a rising talent with works at the gallery. This kind of thing kept happening.
At the Wheelwrightās Case Trading Post I was interested in a few things that I was told to ask the manager about. He was very charming and chatty and personally knew all the artists they sell, and so on. As more knowledgeable people wouldāve known in advance, heās Ken Williams Jr., an incredible and highly collected beadwork artist of Arapaho heritage, represented by Shiprock. We talked about his relationship with the Heard Museum and some upcoming exhibitions there.
Lastly, while at Bahti Indian Arts, a fella walked in who I recognized immediately but hadnāt met beforeādealer Frank Hill, who specializes in early Navajo and Pueblo jewelry. I introduced myself and he was so gracious. We have a few people in commonāa good friend of mine is a steady client of hisāand we share some non-jewelry interests, so that was lovely.
10 Likes
This is what Iām talking about!! Thanks Chic! The physical pieces that we are passionate about and acquire are indeed special, but collecting memories is something I enjoy just as much. Hearing tales of otherās ventures is something I thoroughly appreciate, so thank you.
Your meeting and interaction with Emily sounds amazing, and what an oppurtunity to soak it all in directly from the source!
This is such a deep conversation, and in the interest of preventing myself from going off on a tangent, please allow me to say that this is something thatās always intrigued me, as well! Itās so neat that she shed her own light on this for you, in person!!
Unintentionally meeting Nancy Youngbloodās son, I can only imagine how taken aback you were!
I remember being stunned at Ken Williams Jr.ās work in an exhibition that Shiprock had put onā¦
How neat that you, again, stumbled into sharing time with such an icon, this is incredible!
This is too cool! 
The few times Iāve spoken with Frank, itās been a real treat. Time stops when youāre having engaging conversation with someone that just as deeply shares your passions. Heās enjoyable to deal with, as well, and I feel that heās a pillar in his field.
Thanks again, so much, for sharing all of this @chicfarmer. If anyone else has reservations about sharing highlights from trips like this, I say itās nonsense! It adds so much context, and I canāt be the only nut who enjoys reading things like this!
5 Likes
Thanks, Aaron. Iām glad you posted the link to the Shiprock exhibition. It reminded me of Ken sharing that one of his 2D pieces is of a cheeseburger that looks like the mayo and ketchup are dripping down from it (all done in beading). One day, out of the blue he heard from a Brooklyn burger shop owner who follows his artwork and invited Ken to have a free burger with him whenever he comes to the city.
4 Likes
What a wonderful trip all around @Chicfarmer. Meeting and conversing with interesting people adds a wonderful dimension to any trip, and you seem to have hit the trifectaš. How wonderful to meet Joseph Youngblood, carrying on such a fabulous tradition in his family, His pottery is wonderful! Iāve been to the King Gallery in Scottsdale, but other than a quick in-and-out during the Indian Market gallery openings, I havenāt spent much time at the Santa Fe Gallery. Iām hoping for a late fall/early winter trip to Santa Fe one of these days when Santa Fe isnāt so busy.
Charles King purchased one of my favorite Native American pottery galleries, Native American Collections in Denver, owned by Jill Geller. Iāve purchased some amazing pottery from Jill and over the years enjoyed her company at several juried shows where she judged pottery. Sad sheās leaving, but Charles King will undoubtedly carry on Jillās commitment to great American Indian Art (especially pottery). Charles has came out to the west coast a couple times to evaluate and purchase pottery from the estates of a friends of mine who have passed; heās exceptionally nice and knowledgable. And now, of course, since you mentioned King Gallery, I just spent way too long browsing his website offerings. My pottery days are pretty much behind me (yeah right!), but occasionally I need to quench that thirst.
Sorry I rambledā¦on to your acquisitions. Wonderful Ric Charley cuff with that almost translucent apple green chrysoprase; just yummy! The Kenneth Aguilar and Angie Crespin hand-rolled abalone heishi necklace, is just fabulous! Iāve been a heishi lover for so long, itās wonderful to see this spectacular abalone workmanshipš. The continuing development of Heishi work is another example of, as you so aptly stated, āarts change and stay the sameā.
Thanks for sharing you wonderful tripā¦.we all love to live through others experiences!
6 Likes
That cuff is a banger! the craftsmanship is amazing. I though jade at firstā¦my little, old Fei Cui Jadeite ring has a stone that would look good in that context!
5 Likes
I found a couple pieces at a consignment shop that I havenāt been to in ages. This one really caught my eye. The stone is pretty beat up but secure. It kinda looks like it could be royston to me but idk for sure. Is the white chunky bits actually part of the matrix? Itās way too big for me but for $38, it came home with me 
4 Likes
Definitely had to grab that. I agree on Royston.
2 Likes
Yes, that is part of the matrix. It looks like a quartz inclusion. I donāt really have a guess on the turquoise.
I have been so surprised about some of my turquoise. I had some stones in a 50s ish cuff that I would have guessed were something like Fox, because of the color, or Kingman (of course), but Jason said even though it didnāt look like anything like typical Morenci, he had seen some that looked like that - although he was quick to say there was no way to tell being it was older and had changed color.
3 Likes
Thanks so much @StevesTrail
1 Like
I can definitely see the older pieces being more difficult because of the color change. I sand papered a small cracked piece of older green turquoise and was surprised to see it was still blue under there.
4 Likes