This is a necklace that I just got. It’s about 20” and 71g. There are no markings but it feels like silver and it’s strung on chain. I think it’s Native American. Would love to know more about it. Thanks as always.
I am at the market so am very limited with picture taking.
Pretty! A quick search of beads on chain didn’t show these beads but did show Navajo works on chain. Here is an expert that may be able to help with questions about NA silver beads…
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Thanks for the link. They have some good articles. My biggest question is whether the barrel beads are handmade. I looked on a couple sites that sell handmade beads and didn’t find any as detailed. I’m hoping they are done in a style specific to a maker that someone will recognize.
Paula has a comment option for this particular article. She may be able to give some info.
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Thanks. I could probably get good information from her but that would sort of defeat the purpose of posting it here. I have been using this forum for a while and enjoy interacting with the other people that I’ve gotten used to.
This is a very diverse group of people with a wide spectrum of knowledge. I have learned a lot from them.
I love collecting Native American jewelry (call it my retirement fund) and quite often post things to see if I’m on track with quality and price. I actually have a reference book for my children because none of them would know the value of the individual items should something happen to me. I digress.
Mostly I buy it because it’s my passion and I wear it nearly every day. My best friend jokes that I dress according to what jewelry I’m planning to wear that day. Now that I’ve rambled on way too long, I’m going to 
and see what feedback I get from some of the other people. Thanks for your help.
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I understand where you’re coming from and also feel it wonderful that you preserve the history you find for your children.
I’m different. Think it important to use all channels of research and knowledge. It’s hard to find me commenting on a subject unless I know for certain through personal knowledge or research and then double, and triple checked and sometimes may still miss facts I would have wanted to add.
Many of the answers we seek about the Native American Crafts are lost or hidden away like in the motions of a charade. Knowledge we seek was pasted through the motions of showing and teaching the few involved. Technique and spiritual aspects never meant to be shared was many times left out creating what we now have as centuries of trade crafts. In this way, many times the form of a specific silver bead and who made it became lost and unimportant. There will always be the people who want to know the history. Anywhere I find credible knowledge I accept and share to preserve what is becoming even more jumbled in the new age of internet information.
I love this site -happy to add to the rich info compiled here.
Peace
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These beads remind me of Carolyn Pollack’s Relios line. I couldn’t find an exact match, but my best guess is these are southwestern, not Native made. But depending on the weight they still hold value. Without holding them in my hand to get a feel for them, I would ask around $200 for these in my store
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Thanks. They are about 71g so a little lighter than some of my others. Guess I should start watching jewelry tv. Thanks for the pricing info.
You have made some very valid points. I do like to research things when I have time. Have been working nonstop with no energy left for fun stuff like cruising around on the internet. Finally going to have a couple days off to regroup. Thanks
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I spend way to much time at it lol. But it is a passion.
These are called Barrel beads. Navajo do make them and they fetch a pretty penny! I am not sure if these in the picture are handmade or manufactured, I would need to see them up close to find out. Either way look up Navajo Barrel Beads to see that there are many styles out there. You could also look through the many online beading sites to see if these are manufactured.
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Thanks Christibo. I looked at a couple of wholesale handmade bead sites and barrel beads started at $28 each and went up from there. I am finally home and have taken some better pictures with my iPad rather than my old phone. Maybe you can get a better idea from them. I thought about BigBree43’s suggestion of Pollack and checked out some of her things while waiting on the doctor. I have also handled a couple of her pieces in the past
and they were well marked and didn’t have the same feel.
I have looked at these beads with a loupe and they look handmade to me. The seams aren’t exactly the same. There are several spots where it looks like the artist wiped away extra solder and partially smoothed out some beads. If anyone can tell more from the new pictures, I’d appreciate your input. Thanks
Yup those are the Barrel beads I am talking about and they do appear to be hand soldered. That is a nice chunky find! The pillow beads and the fact it is on a chain lean towards Navajo. But I would have a little trouble definitely calling them Navajo, mostly due to that rather simple pattern. That could be explained however by a Novice smith getting a feel for this kind of bead making. These really make me think of Tibetan or Nepalese design work. Either way you have a great necklace! Jason might be able to provide the definitive word on these.
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Thanks Christibo. The solder work actually reminded me of my own when I was soldering tub/shower valves back in my plumbing days. Lol. Maybe Jason will jump in and give us his opinion. I personally have never seen a set like them but then this east coast beach doesn’t see a huge amount of Native American jewelry.
The beads are handmade. It is an experienced bead maker, those barrel beads are really nice. When you do a search the norm is seeing the stamping down on the outside of the bead. This artist bumped out the design, which I imagine makes it much more time consuming. One possibility, that was lots of work and don’t feel like doing that again. Is it Navajo, I would want to say yes. However, you never know what you don’t know.
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This is really interesting information Jason. I’ve never seen any beads like these. I would definitely have not thought these to be handmade.
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Thanks for your help. Could you please give me some idea of value ? They are different from any I have ever seen but are quite comfortable even with a t shirt. Thanks
When you have them in hand it’s pretty obvious. I’m sure you would know immediately. The pictures make it much harder to tell. The seams have variations in the soldering and it just has that feel. I love the repousse style.
Always trust intuition, lol!! Congrats on this find!
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