Hi. I hope its appropriate to ask for Taxco related help. Seems like it may be. I dont see JS in Hougart’s book of hallmarks. Large, unique brooch/pendant with what appears to be a wolf and a bone. Any ideas about artist ID? Thanks!
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I know nothing about Mexican jewelry, but this is really an interesting piece. Looks like a howling coyote/dog on the left with a bone and an antler on the right.
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I have no issue with including Mexican silver. Research mid-century by “J. Sotelo” also check “TS-22”.
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Thanks Steve. Will do!
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It could go in the non native jewelry category, although doesn’t bother me here. However, if there would be a lot of it, I think it should go in the non native category to make more sense.
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Got it. Thanks. Next time
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The way I look at it is there was a imaginary border drawn separating the tribes some times quite literally dividing them especially on what we know as the border states and within the states many tribes were separated or combined into one a lot of times even warring tribes were just told they were now the same people. Many tribes on both borders still look at themselves as one. if we cut out Mexican then we would have to cut out first nations of Canada as well which would be a shame! I personally see some Mexican jewelry as native American I think its on a piece by piece artist by artist basis I guess🤔 it’s a crazy world out there🤯
There’s a category for non-Native American art here, appropriately so. The definition of NA jewelry used here, and by collectors and retailers, accords with US law on the subject. Those laws consider Native American art as within the United States.
https://www.doi.gov/iacb/act
Nobody doubts that there are kinships beyond borders. But the markets and laws are different.
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That makes some sense in a very white world I do agree the protection that that affords the artists is very important I guess one would just have to know the history of the artist in taxco they do keep very good records of this as stamped numbers I believe.
Real question. Does that include first nations Canada is that where I should share those pieces? Being on the border up here some artists are from both sides and same as you head north to the border with Canada and Alaska and the island chains up here make it pretty interesting
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US federal law controls “the marketing of Indian art and craft products within the United States.” The link has good info.
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Is Taxco even native Mexican made - not sure how to state that - but I mean like Native made, or is it simply Mexican made? I’m not putting what I mean into words very well…
When I joined this site my understanding was that it mostly focused on jewelry made by Native Americans in the US, specifically in the southwest; that’s WHY I joined it. Obviously other Native American made items get discussed, I’ve even done this, but they aren’t the focus. Although we have had a couple great threads on Pacific Northwest jewelry, Navajo rugs, and I posted some Canadian native art within certain threads.
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Mexico has extensive records of artists again it all depends on who made it I would say I have many taxco pieces I have not shared because they are more modernist and what not…
Thanks, I don’t know anything about it. So I enjoy those pieces posted on here, because then I can learn. Awhile ago I posted some old earrings of my mom’s I had inherited, because I wasn’t sure if they were Native American made or Mexican. I had posted them in the identifying category (I think) since I didn’t know.
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Touchy subject. I am with you, LL.
The boundaries are artificial - legal and codified, yes- however particularly southwest art forms are very similar to indigenous art, to include jewelry, on the “other side” of the border. Basically the same folks. Tribes are an artificial construct to sort out the interests and politics of the various colonizers.
I collect Mimbres and other southwest US indigenous pottery, on this side of the border,and Mata Ortiz and Casa Grande pottery, which is on the other side. These are basically historically the same people living in slightly differing conditions, using different earth clays. Borders and laws, yes. It’s a thing. However, people and art on either side of the legal, artificial border not so different.
Santa Clara Pueblo and Mata Ortiz pottery. Different styles but many similarities.
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Hey @Lessonslearned, you might enjoy this past thread…
Some silver jewellery by West Coast First Nations (Canada) artists
But I do think it’s important to remember that the focus of this site is southwestern Native American jewelry. Doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun learning about other things!
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I agree @Ziacat focus on southwest. Defining native that’s a Pandoras box even within some of the native community it’s a sticky wicket we have created for ourselves haha just a little while ago this was brought up in the smoke house at a memorial and naming where all the tribe members from the houses in Canada came down. very much the same people when it comes to what’s important spiritually and culturally.
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I imagine that was an interesting discussion you had! I really wish I had learned from my family members (who are now deceased) more about my ancestry. My background appears to be mostly German with some English, and my husband’s family’s roots are mostly French. My last name is totally French, and because of that when we visited Quebec everybody kept speaking to me in French, and I was like, sorry I don’t speak that language 
I do know that people on my father’s side came here to the US to escape religious persecution eons ago.
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Those are gorgeous! I love pottery. Which one is Santa Clara? The top one looks like some Acoma (or Santo Domingo?) pottery I have seen…
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I am guessing most everybody here knows this:
“Navajo (Diné) artists began working silver in the 1850s after learning the art from Mexican smiths . The Zuni, who admired the silver jewelry made by Navajo smiths, traded livestock for instruction in working silver. By 1890, Zuni smiths had instructed the Hopi as well.”
Wikipedia entry on Native American jewelry
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Acom[quote=“Ziacat, post:18, topic:12025, full:true”]
Those are gorgeous! I love pottery. Which one is Santa Clara? The top one looks like some Acoma (or Santo Domingo?) pottery I have seen…
[/quote]
Acoma, yes. And Mata Ortiz.
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