Wonderful bracelet with 3 green-blue Hubei turquoise

Hey friends,

found this amazing bracelet with wonderful Chinese turquoise.

  • Three high-grade polychrome micro-web Hubei turquoise
    • Each about 1" x 5/8"
    • Update: seller states it is fully natural (smell, hot pin)
    • Yungai Temple Mine?
  • Sterling silver, 56g = 1.8oz
  • Tom Burnside, 1970s
  • About $530 + fees and taxes → $650 - 700
  • Put aside for me to research before I buy.

I think it’s lovely.







My questions

  • Fair price? Bit expensive?
  • Unstabilized and untreated natural turquoise?
  • Men’s jewelry?

Thanks a lot.

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Tom Burnsides the famous Navajo silversmith died in 1957, far predating this cuff. Despite the Art Amerindien site showing a hallmark they attribute to a “Tom Burnside” of the 1970s, is there any corroboration? Significantly, Hougart’s does not include a T Burnside. Nor do Schaaf’s books.

Both Burnside/Burnsides have been stated for the Tom B artist active in the 1920s-1940s, clearly not the smith of this bracelet. This is why it’s important to source from reputable dealers who know what they’re selling. Otherwise you have no basis of trust if your goal is to buy NA/Navajo work.

If anyone has info on a Tom Burnside of the 70s, hopefully they’ll share here.

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Thank you @chicfarmer. I’m not familiar with Tom Burnsides (Navajo) so I appreciate the factual information you’ve provided.

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That’s what I had found:

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^The link to the wordpress blog is about the famed Tom Burnsides, hence irrelevant to this bracelet. The Amerindien site’s hallmark is the one I have a question about. It’s fairly well known that the site is not the most accurate or exhaustive hallmark resource.

I’ve long wondered who the people are behind the site, which is French. Anyone know?

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In the blog, his granddaughter mentions that he was using both names, Burnside as well as Burnsides.

And those items seem to carry the same hallmark

So, only guessing, “my” bracelet might be from the silversmith that died in 1957!? That would mean, the seller as well as Amerindien are wrong, and the bracelet is older.

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Chinese turquoise, for one, rules out it being from the 20s-40s. The bracelet you’re showing isn’t very old.

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Mysterious … now comes guesswork

  • Fake hallmark on the bracelets
  • 1930s T.B. never used the hallmark we see, work of the 1970s T.B.
  • Not Chinese (but looks like)
    • Update: seller just wrote “all we really have to go on is the artist’s hallmark (T.B.) and educated guesses from experienced miners and jewelers who agreed that, based on the fine matrix and polychrome coloration, it was very likely high-grade Hubei”
  • Late work of the 1930s T.B., maybe late 50s

Anyone can make a sensible story out of this?

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I would like to hear from @mmrogers regarding both bracelets as IMHO they both seem to date from the 70s or 80s. However, I have no accurate reference to compare with 1950s construction and style.

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Sure looks like Chinese turquoise to me. Maybe there is another unidentified artist with the initials TB, but the seller went by the Amerindian site (which has errors; I just use it as a starting point since the only hallmark book I have is regarding Hopi jewelry).

I am not an expert, but this cuff doesn’t look that old; I would have thought it was a newer piece.

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We can offer facts as best known, but then it’s sort of up to you–since you don’t trust the seller–to find a story that guides you to buy or not to buy. It’s your dollars involved, after all.

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I can tell you nothing about the hallmark. The turquoise is definitely chinese, and that would make the manufacture date in the 80’s at the oldest.

Still good looking though

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Tom Burnside (1917-Deceased; Navajo). Active 1920s-1940s. Cast work; hand wrought.

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This turquoise didn’t appear until the 80’s and the bracelet looks far more recent. Like last 10 - 15 years. Also this isn’t the way Navajo silversmiths would arrange these stones. I’m going to say the vendor pulled the origin story out of thin air. Complete B.S. Looks Asian to me.

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https://tribesourcingfilm.org/digital-heritage/navajo-silversmith-1959

Summary:
Film features primarily Tom Burnsides’ silversmithing of a buckle, trading at the post, and close-ups of his wares. Also, striking views of Monument Valley and family herding their flock across the landscape.

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Hey everyone, so basically we believe the old T.B. hallmark is used on two modern bracelets. Asian fake most likely, and from neither of the two T.B.'s (30s, 70s).

Well, if “mine” was from the 1930s T.B. it were really valuable today.
It’s real Chinese turquoise though. Even quite nice ones.
I trust the seller when he tells it’s tested as sterling.
But as it really looks new, the seller should know it’s not from the 1970s …
Thanks everyone a lot to solve the riddle at least to a level that makes sense.
Won’t buy as this story is not turning me on. Also too expensive.
Amazing what complex riddle a community can solve. Kept me up till 2:30am.

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@gt75 Sorry, don’t follow. What do you mean by “used on two modern bracelets”? What besides this Etsy one are you referring to?

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Sorry, this one mentioned above

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That’s not modern… ??

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