That '70s Show

[TAH]

The 1970s was a distinct decade for Native American jewelry design and popularity. I’m dedicating this thread to all of you '70s kids and the younger folk who wish they could have experienced this awesome time in American history.

Below is the buckle, watch cuff, and bear claw pendant my parents bought me on vacation in Sun Valley, Idaho in 1976 at age 15. Included is my mother’s ring from the era. Here’s the set, all Kingman turquoise, in all its glory.

Feel free to share your '70s treasures if ya got’em.

[StevesTrail]

Right on @TAH . They say if you remember the 60s and 70s you weren’t there. Guess some of us got lucky. How could such a great country have gone so far backwards. Great pieces.

Of note: High School 1974: we took our 12 gauge shotgun + 12 shells in the hunting vest on the school bus and put them in our locker to take a bus to a friends house after school to go pheasant & squirrel hunting.

[Patina]

@TAH Oh, that’s a terrific collection of treasured turquoise from your parents! Now, I see where your interest in belt buckles originated . I have a couple of pieces from the '70s I’ll add later today. Cool thread. (BTW, we’re going to see the new Dylan biopic today: A Complete Unknown.)

[Bmpdvm]

Yep, I remember the 70’s, I was in college at the University of California during most of the 70’s (8 years!#!). That was when I first started collecting! I’ll pull out some pieces from that era when I get time.
Your buckle is so interesting! When I first glanced at it I thought “Robert and Bernice Leekya!” But that interesting patterned (stamped?) background has me scratching my head. It’s wonderful, but I’ve never seen anything quite like it!
This will be a great discussion
@StevesTrail; I showed your post about hunting after school to my husband; he laughted and said he and his buddies did the same thing. Can you imagine bringing a gun to school in this day and age…

[Ziacat]

What a fun thread! And I love your stuff; beautiful turquoise in all of it - I can see the color change that I love. That buckle is fabulous. I don’t know if I have much for sure from the 70’s, but I have a few things from '69 and '82 which I assume will be close enough I also suspect a few of my pawn pieces are '70s made, but I don’t know for sure.

@StevesTrail, I did grow up and go to school during the mid 60s - early '80s, and no one took their rifles on the bus, but then people really didn’t hunt much right in the area where we lived. However I told my husband who works at GM, and there are a lot of guys from Janesville, WI at the plant. He said he’s heard those guys talk about their rifles being stacked against the back wall in school (in school!) so they could go deer hunting afterwards.

But we did have a lot of Amish in the area, and some of them road the school bus. Sometimes they took their buggies through the self car wash

[Patina]

Here are my two 1970s pieces of jewelry that launched my interest in NA/SW jewelry. The earrings look handmade to me. The imprint may be a Thunderbird. A gift from a then-boyfriend whose grandparents lived in, & parents were from, Tulsa and Norman, OK respectively. His brother, Joe, had the cuff handmade for me as a graduation gift. Joe also picked out the turquoise cab - which looks natural (not stabilized). To this day, I still fondly wear the cuff.

[Ziacat]

So pretty. I would wear that cuff too!

[Ravenscry]

What a wonderful topic @TAH.

The decade of the 70’s was well before my time, but within this period of history lies the happenings that inspired some of my passions.

My parents were dating, my father was thumping his bass guitars in an early iteration of one of blues bands, and my maternal grandfather was taking his blossoming family to Colorado Springs, CO for holidays in a remote cabin.

It certainly was such a magnificent time for Native American jewelry design, bringing forth such an unprecedented popularity.

To follow are my contributions, many of which came from the Colorado trips.

Set containing the bracelet, necklace, watch band and left buckle purchased in Colorado by my grandfather in 1972, buckle on right purchased the following year. All pieces crafted crafted by Olson Red Horse.

Bison tooth pendant, artist unknown. Beautifully hand crafted chain, hand wrought, twisted and stamped links.

Bracelet on right and bear claw pendant from Colorado trips, all of the Snow Horse line of jewelry.

Bear claw pendant and hand made Navajo pearls, hand crafted silver leaves and flowers, lovely stampwork on pendant and pearls, well executed tubular inlay.

Zippo case, watch band, and both bear claw necklaces brought back from Colorado. Buckle was a gift, bolo purchased in 2022.

[nanc9354]

Let me know what you think of the movie. I just got done watching DUNE and thought “who is this skinny boy with the lead role.” After watching both movies, I’d say he is a pretty good actor.

I remember no seat belts especially since I fell out of the car when my dad turned a corner. luckily, not hurt. Who can forget the great bands of the 70’s and 80’s. Even my kids play this great music.

Nice collection @TAH. I see where you get your fine taste in jewelry and buckles.

[StevesTrail]

You and my sister are in the same club @nanc9354 . No seat belts in the old farm pickup. Driving back from delivering a load of fruit I turned the corner and my sisters door flew open and out she went. A perfect sitting position the middle of the road and still holding the cash box. No oncoming traffic but I swung around quick to block the road and she climbed back in.

[Patina]

Hi ~ Unfortunately, we didn’t get to go see the movie. Our aged little dog is experiencing intestinal issues & we had to take her to the Vet again today. We were just there last week. Now trying a steroid regimen🤞.

[Ziacat]

Oh no! I’m so sorry! We just went through a lot with our kitty last year so I sympathize

She originally had IBS and we used pred, and it helped.

[Ziacat]

Wow, what gorgeous stuff! That first cuff is my fav; do you know what the turquoise is? Although you have just made me feel old

Back in the very late 80’s I rode in the open back of my friend’s brother’s pick up driving up into the Sangre de Cristos behind Santa Fe. We got covered in pine tree pollen, but it was fun!

[Bmpdvm]

Wow @StevesTrail and @nanc9354, guess I’m in that club too! I fell out and we we’re not even going around a corner! My mom freaked out and could barely pull over thinking she’d run over me! Just a bit of road rash…good thing kids don’t break as easy as adults!
@Patina, so sorry your little buddy is having problems…stressful! So hard as they get older…hoping it’s not serious🙏.

[Xtina]

Oh yeah…me, too. Child of the 70s, high school student of the 80s, college student of the 90s; I feel like I got a good run of years.

I am sure a lot of my collection of “unknown origin” stuff contains plenty of 70s pieces. I`'ll come back with a few pretty-sures shortly. I posted here on the “piece that started it all” thread about a little touristy chip necklace I had as a child that makes me recall the 70s and my childhood trips to the mountains of NC.

Chip inlay makes me think of the 70s, hah.

[Ravenscry]

Thank you @Ziacat, for your kind words. I do not know for certain, and am hesitant to guesstimate. I’ll share a couple more pics of it so those more educated than myself can perhaps provide their thoughts. You are referring to the Olson Red Horse cuff in the first photo? correct?

@Ziacat

Although you have just made me feel old

I’d never want to make anyone here feel anything but respected!

I’ve always been more comfortable around those that have a few more winters under their belt than myself. Very rarely do I find the company of my peers to be engaging. In this community, I feel right at home!

[RedlandMaggie]

@Ziacat

…He said he’s heard those guys talk about their rifles being stacked against the back wall in school (in school!) so they could go deer hunting afterwards.

This was pretty common in Oregon and Washington (especially more rural areas) when I was a kid. It was not unusual to see a rifle in a window rack in a few pickups at high school as well in the 70’s - every once and a while a teacher would go hunt with them.

[Ziacat]

Okay, I’ll play.

The 3 stone buckle and pin (which I wear as a pendant) were bought in '82 (so close to the 70’s), I believe at the Hopi House at GC. Mom bought me the buckle and the pin for herself. The single stone buckle my mom got in '69 (again, so close ) also at the Hopi House. I’m just guessing the cuff is possibly a 70’s ish cuff (it was pawn).

And also, duh-uh, if @Xtina hadn’t mentioned chip inlay I would have forgotten one of my most worn pieces, a (probably) Tommy Singer cuff that I bought at my favorite wonderful pawn shop in Flag.

To all of you who fell out of cars; first of all I’m glad you survived, and second, were you in the back of pickups? Just trying to picture it …

@Ravenscry, no worries, I was kidding But…hmmmm…not sure if I want to be old enough to be respected… (seriously, just kidding again ) Oh, and yes, that cuff.

Edit: Not sure which decade I relate the most to. Graduated HS in '82, and college in '86 (took 6 yrs to get my degree). I think I feel more like an 80’s gal.

[TAH]

@Ziacat

To all of you who fell out of cars; first of all I’m glad you survived, and second, were you in the back of pickups? Just trying to picture it …

[StevesTrail]

Of course we rode in the back of pickups.