Oooh @Islandmomma; you need to buy his fabulous squash! I have a lot of “oldish” squashes, but I’ll share one. It has “shortish” blossoms, though nothing like the squat blossoms posted here. Mine is quite heavy, 245gm. The best thing about it is the heavy handmade beads and 4 leaf blossoms. Also it’s interesting the way the squash blossoms are attached to the chain. Love the variety of squashes out there😊.
12 Likes
Really cool! What do you know about the age?
@Islandmomma hahahaha. Your car and mine both drive to places I wasn’t supposed to go. 
How far south on 17 are you talking? There’s at least two of those car gravitational vectors that pull me in EVERY time up on the North Myrtle Beach end.
2 Likes
This was just above Ravenel on the Charleston side. 
Today I was in Charleston to get groceries but I had this real strong
urge to go to the consignment shop. It had been about a year since I had been there and I had seen the owner posting a lot on Instagram. Anyhow, I went and the change was amazingly good. While I was browsing the jewelry cabinets I saw a strand of heishi and a couple of other things. When the store clerk handed me the heishi I was so happy to feel the smoothness and most importantly to see the signature bead that Calvin and Pilar Lovato used. A beautiful 24” 4 strand necklace for $10.80. Yippee!
14 Likes
The big bargain hunter strikes it rich again!! Congrats!
3 Likes
Great buy!! Don’t you just love the ‘snakeskin” feel of real good heishi? I want to go shopping with you😄.
5 Likes
It was meant for you and your eagle eye! Amazing find. 
3 Likes
@Islandmomma Woo Hoo! I love a good jewelry story. Wonderful heishi necklace. I learned something new - “signature” beads and smooth-to-the-touch heishi is a good sign. $10.80 ~ how sweet it is! (à la Jackie Gleason)
5 Likes
Even 2 of my small heishi necklaces have one different colored bead. Although not all of them do.
I wonder if I need to check out the occasional vintage/antique shop 
However, I don’t think my car has @Islandmomma’s talent 
And yes, @Patina, I read long ago in an article in the Native American Art Magazine (we were just discussing that magazine on another thread) that good heishi feels like snakeskin to the touch.
4 Likes
UPDATE: I contacted the Lovato’s and this is not their standard hallmark bead. The cones and closure are also different. So now I get to figure out who actually made it. Even if I don’t, it’s wonderful.
4 Likes
It’s always fascinating to research a find. No matter if we confirm an expectation or not, we learn along the way.
3 Likes
Posted it in a Facebook group and shortly thereafter I got a reply from the maker herself. It is Mabel T Chavez. She and her family use the rough square pipestone bead as their Hallmark. Yippee!
14 Likes
So pleased to hear you have found information. I enjoy hearing stories like yours.
2 Likes