Necklaces

This Navajo handmade necklace comes with a pair of matching earrings. The necklaces is made of ten strands of turquoise, silver, bronze, and white seed beads. The beads end in sterling silver cones and a hook and eye clasp.  It is a much lighter weight necklace than those made of metal.

Size: Necklace 27" Long - Earrings 4" Long (includes wires)

The naja is set with 33 tear drop shaped red spiny oyster shell with a larger round one in the top, and a red spiny oyster shell flower with twelve spiny oyster shells that dangles in the center.  Each squash blossom has a spiny oyster shell flower on top with fifteen stones.  The squash blossoms are strung on double strands of handmade sterling silver beads that end in silver cones with a hook and eye clasp.  This necklace was part of an older collection of Native American jewelry and has been lightly polished.

Size: 29" Long - Naja 2.5" H x 2" W - Squash blossoms 1.5" H x 1" W

Najas are a prominent symbol in Navajo jewelry and are always the center piece in squash blossom necklaces.  I was told they are a feminine symbol, and their crescent shape represents the arms of a matriarch and the generations of the past and future.  It symbolizes ease of movement, paths of least resistance for the family, even during challenging times.  There is a sense of open arms in the shape of the naja that is soothing.  Some najas have hands of friendship on each end.

This may be one of our favorite squash blossom necklaces we've seen in a long time. The Zuni frog fetish and its setting is actually a brooch/pin that can be detached and worn separately by opening the ring attached to the naja. The sterling silver setting resembles a lily pad and sits in the center of the naja.  It was carved from mother of pearl with inlaid turquoise and red coral and was probably made by Georgette Quam.  There are a total of twenty-six squash blossoms that are strung on two strands of hand-made sterling silver beads. The beads end in cones and a hook and eye clasp. This older necklace was part of an older collection of Native American jewelry. More about frog fetishes and najas below.

Size: 24" Long - Naja 2.125" H x 2.375" W - Frog Setting 1.25" H x 1.5" W - Squash blossoms .875" Long

Najas are a prominent symbol in Navajo jewelry and are always the center piece in squash blossom necklaces.  I was told they are a feminine symbol, and their crescent shape represents the arms of a matriarch and the generations of the past and future.  It symbolizes ease of movement, paths of least resistance for the family, even during challenging times.  There is a sense of open arms in the shape of the naja that is soothing.  Some najas have hands of friendship on each end.

Frogs begin life in the water as tadpoles, grow legs and, afterward can be on land or water.  They go through a profound transition and are related to water and land.  Female frogs lay many eggs at once and are associated with fertility.  The frogs are known to sing before the rains come in Zuni Pueblo.  During droughts people will bury frog carvings in the Earth to invite the rain to come.

This Navajo handmade traditional sterling silver squash blossom necklace has sixteen beautiful squash blossoms strung on two rows of handmade sterling silver beads.  The naja in the center was tufa cast, more about that process and about najas below.  Beautiful worn or hung in a shadowbox when not being worn to enjoy every day/  The beads end with a hook and eye clasp.

Size: 30" Long - Naja 2.75" H x 2.125" W - Squash blossoms 1" Long - Weight 320 grams

Tufa Jewelry: Tufa is a volcanic stone which can be as dense as chalk which has an organic texture. The first thing a jeweler does is examine a piece of tufa for any tiny fractures.  If it looks good, the tufa is cut in half and, if there is a design, it is carved into the tufa.   There is a pour hole carved into the top and several narrow vents carved into each side.  The two pieces are then bound tightly together and molten silver or gold is poured through the hole at the top.  If there are any microscopic cracks, the tufa explodes when the metal is poured in and the process has to begin again. 

Najas are a prominent symbol in Navajo jewelry and are always the center piece in squash blossom necklaces.  We were told they are a feminine symbol, and their crescent shape represents the arms of a matriarch and the generations of the past and future.  It symbolizes ease of movement, paths of least resistance for the family, even during challenging times.  There is a sense of open arms in the shape of the naja that is soothing.  Some najas have hands of friendship on each end.

The large sterling silver Peyote/Water Bird in the center is accompanied by twelve smaller Peyote/Water Birds. Small chips of natural turquoise and red coral are inlaid on each pair of wings.  Lovely stamp-work details their faces and tails.  Each bird is strung on a double strand of handmade sterling silver beads that end in a hook and eye clasp.  This necklace was probably made in the 1970s and was part of a collection of older Native American jewelry. Peyote or Water Birds are part of the Native American Church ceremonies. What a treasure! 

Size: Beads 26" Long - Large Peyote Bird 3.25" H x 2.5" W - 2.25" L x .75" W

This impressive large bolo tie can be worn or put in a shadowbox display case.  So many details which include the eagle head, wings, face, necklace, moccasins, sash, silver bracelets, and eagle heads at the ends of the sterling silver tips.  The stones include gold lip mother of pearl, turquoise, mother of pearl, spiny oyster shell, and jet. Each feather is detailed. The brown braided leather is in very good condition.  It would be easy to shine to the tips and silver with jewelry polish. This was part of a collection of older Native American jewelry.

Size: 40" Long - Eagle Dancer 5.5" H x 3" W - Tips including eagles 3.25" Long

Natural Kingman turquoise and natural red coral are nestled between gold leaves and flowers in a shadowbox.  Wonderful repousse details also grace the shadowbox which is oxidized.  Beautifully worked sterling silver surrounds it all.  The sterling silver tips are also handmade.  The braided black leather is in very good condition. Can also be worn as a necklace.  This was part of a collection of older Native American jewelry.  It has the patina that comes with age and can be easily cleaned with jewelry polish.

Size: 38" Long - Setting  2.75" H x 2" W - Tips 2.25"

The seven Kingman turquoise stones in this vintage Navajo sterling silver cluster bolo tie are the color of a spring morning sky.  Twenty sterling silver domes are interspersed throughout the setting and a hand-cut and hand-stamped silver border surrounds it all.  The sterling silver tips are also handmade.  It can also be worn as a necklace.  It has the patina that is sought after in older Native American jewelry.  It can easily be polished to a shine with jewelry polish.  The braided leather cord is in very good condition. This bolo tie was part of a collection of older Native American jewelry.

Size: Leather 39" - Setting 2.125" H x 1.75" W

This smaller size sterling silver vintage bolo tie can be worn as a necklace or a tie. The cluster medallion has lapis set on the outside with silver circles at the end of each setting and natural Sleeping Beauty turquoise on the inside.  The turquoise has twisted silver around the center stone and around the outer cluster of stones.  It has a slide and hold back on braided black leather.  The patina that comes with age but can easily be shined with jewelry polish. This bolo tie was part of a collection of vintage and older Native American jewelry.

Size: Braided leather 37" - Medallion 1.25" Diameter - Tips 1.675" L

This stunning vintage necklace has seventy-five fetish carvings strung on five strands of natural red coral heishi. The fetishes are carved from bone and include bears, turtles, birds, armadillos, rabbits, frogs, rams, and wolves/coyotes.  Each of the five strands go through larger bird carvings. The five strands end in sterling silver cones with a hook and eye clasp.  This necklace was part of a collection of older Native American jewelry.  What a magnificent piece!

Size: Longest strand is 30" - Central bear fetish 1.675" H 

We don't see natural red coral necklaces as available as it used to be and this one is gorgeous!  Ten strands of natural Mediterranean coral are interspersed with green turquoise and tiny oxidized sterling silver melon beads.  The coral has 2.75" of pen shell heishi on each end that are nestled into sterling silver cones ending with a sterling silver hook and eye clasp.

Size: 27" Long

A white mother of pearl eagle inlaid with nine turquoise dots leads the way for this colorful flock of twenty-two carved birds.  Pen shell heishi and turquoise bind them all together.  The birds are carved from turquoise, spiny oyster shell, mother of pearl, serpentine, jet, and Picasso marble.  The clasp is a sterling silver hook and eye.  Markings in permanent marker on the back of the eagle.  This necklace was part of a collection of older Native American jewelry from the 1950s to 1980s.

Size: 38" Long - Eagle: 1.5" H x 1.25" W 

This Zuni fetish necklace was handmade by Albenita Yunie and it celebrates birds!  Eighteen birds made of turquoise, black lip mother of pearl, spiny oyster shell, and gold Lip mother of pearl surround the larger turquoise bird in the center.  Between the bird fetishes are turquoise heishi and shell beads.  The beads end with round sterling silver beads, sterling cone, and a hook and eye clasp.

Size: 24" Long - Center bird: 1.5" H x .75" W

Wearing this necklace is like wearing a stone rainbow!  The stones include turquoise, spiny oyster shell, lapis, lepidolite onyx, fresh water pearls, apple coral, and agate.  The clasp is a sterling silver hook and eye.  Navajo handmade.

Size: 18"

Wearing this necklace is like wearing a stone rainbow!  The stones include turquoise, spiny oyster shell, lapis, catlinite, onyx, fresh water pearls, apple coral, and agate.  The clasp is a sterling silver hook and eye.  Navajo handmade.

Size: 18"

Wearing this necklace is like wearing a stone rainbow!  The stones include turquoise, spiny oyster shell, lapis, howlite, onyx, fresh water pearls, apple coral, and agate.  The clasp is a sterling silver hook and eye.  Navajo handmade.

Size: 18"

This Rainbow of Stones Necklace was made by Navajo jeweler Helen Tsosie.  The stones include turquoise, lapis, amethyst, spiny oyster shell, agate, serpentine, mother of pearl, amber, jasper, and abalone with heishi between each stone.  All of this beauty ends with a sterling silver beads, cones, and a hook and eye clasp, along with a 2.75" sterling silver extender.

Size: 29" Long

This Rainbow of Stones Necklace was made by Navajo jeweler Helen Tsosie.  The stones include turquoise, spiny oyster shell, agate, amethyst, serpentine, mother of pearl, tiger eye, amber, jasper, and abalone with heishi between each stone.  All of this beauty ends with a sterling silver beads, cones, and a hook and eye clasp, along with a 2.75" sterling silver extender.

Size: 29" Long

Wearing this necklace is like wearing a stone rainbow!  The stones include turquoise, spiny oyster shell, lapis, howlite, onyx, fresh water pearls, apple coral, and agate.  The clasp is a sterling silver hook and eye.  Navajo handmade.

Size: 18"

Natural polished Kingman turquoise nuggets and natural red coral are set in sterling silver in this Navajo handmade, vintage squash blossom necklace.  The naja is tufa cast - more about najas and the process of tufa cast jewelry below.  Each of the six blossoms have a red coral and turquoise are set in shadowboxes above the blossoms. Each of the set stones have leaves on one side and vines on the other.  The blossoms are strung on double strands of sterling silver beads and end with a silver hook and eye clasp.  This was part of a collection of older Native American jewelry and was possible made in the 1950s to 1970s.  There is no hallmark or name attributed to this necklace.  It has been cleaned and polished.

Size: 22.5" Long - Naja: 2.25" H x 2.5" W - Blossoms: 1.5" L x .75" W

Najas are a prominent symbol in Navajo jewelry and are always the center piece in squash blossom necklaces.  I was told they are a feminine symbol, and their crescent shape represents the arms of a matriarch and the generations of the past and future.  It symbolizes ease of movement, paths of least resistance for the family, even during challenging times.  There is a sense of open arms in the shape of the naja that is soothing.  Some najas have hands on each end.

Tufa Cast Jewelry: Tufa is a volcanic stone which can be as dense as chalk which has an organic texture. The first thing a jeweler does is examine a piece of tufa for any tiny fractures.  If it looks good, the tufa is cut in half and, if there is a design, it is carved into the tufa.   There is a pour hole carved into the top and several narrow vents carved into each side.  The two pieces are then bound together tightly and molten silver or gold is poured through the hole at the top.  If there are any microscopic cracks, the tufa explodes when the metal is poured in and the process has to begin again. 

Wear birds and bears to keep you happy!  Sixteen birds and and six bears for a total of twenty-two handmade Zuni fetishes by Verna Kushana.  She strung them between finely made pen shell heishi.  The fetishes are carved from shimmering mother of pearl, pink mussel shell, serpentine, jet, and jasper.  The strand ends with sterling silver bench beads, cones, and a hook and eye clasp.

Size: 25.5" Long - Largest fetish .25" H x .75" L

Mary Louise Tafoya from Kewa Pueblo in New Mexico made this striking necklace.  Turquoise, spiny oyster shell, jet, and shell are inlaid onto the black back.  It is strung on black onyx beads with a sterling silver hook and eye clasp. Mary Louise signs each of her necklaces with her name and her signature flower. 

Length: 18", Pendant: 2.675" H x 1.75" L x .25" W

Jewelers from Kewa Pueblo have been creating mosaic inlay jewelry for over a thousand years.  Some of the ancient Kewa jewelry can seem quite modern in their designs.  The stones, and/or shell, are cut into shapes which are then put together like a puzzle on a backing.  The backing can be shell, jet, or other materials like epoxy, records or sheets of plastic which was used during times when materials were hard to come by.  Prior to colonization and the use of metals in Native American jewelry making, the earrings were hung on handmade string.

This Navajo hand-stamped pendant was made by Vincent Platero who is well-known for his mastery of stamping sterling silver jewelry.  The bale is large enough for 10mm size beads or several strands of smaller beads.  It comes with the 20" long sterling silver beads which are not Native American made.

Pendant Size: 2.875" H x 1.125" W 

This Rainbow of Stones Necklace was made by Navajo jeweler Helen Tsosie.  The stones include turquoise, lapis, amethyst, spiny oyster shell, agate, serpentine, mother of pearl, tiger eye, amber, jasper, and abalone with heishi between each stone.  All of this beauty ends with a sterling silver beads, cones, and a hook and eye clasp, along with a 2.75" sterling silver extender.

Mary Louise Tafoya from Kewa Pueblo in New Mexico made this beautiful butterfly necklace.  It is strung it on soft pink stone and turquoise beads.  The butterfly is made of abalone, serpentine, turquoise, spiny oyster shell, and stitchtite.  Mary Louise signs each of her necklaces with her name and her signature flower. 

Length: 19", Pendant: 2.5" H x 1.5" L x .25" W

Jewelers from Kewa Pueblo have been creating mosaic inlay jewelry for over a thousand years.  Some of the ancient Kewa jewelry can seem quite modern in their designs.  The stones, and/or shell, are cut into shapes which are then put together like a puzzle on a backing.  The backing can be shell, jet, or other materials like epoxy, records or sheets of plastic which was used during times when materials were hard to come by.  Prior to colonization and the use of metals in Native American jewelry making, the earrings were hung on handmade string.

This high-grade sugilite pendant was made by Navajo jeweler, Harold James.  The brushed sterling silver is oxidized to highlight the detail in the stamp work and to give it a vintage finish.  The sugilite is very bright and very purple!  The bale is large enough for 12mm beads.  It is stamped "Harold J" and "Sterling" on the back.  

The actual color was challenging to capture, but the stones are a royal purple color.

The sugilite beads range in color from darker royal purple to sugilite "jelly", which is translucent royal purple.  Sugilite jelly is the highest grade of sugilite.  it has ten sterling silver beads with sterling silver accent beads on each side.

Pendant size: 2.5" H x 1.375" W - Stone: 1" H x .875" W

Beads: 18" L with 2" Extender

This handmade Zuni needlepoint Sleeping Beauty turquoise necklace and earrings has a total of 21 stones.  We especially like the little pendant that dangles from the bar of needlepoint on the necklace.  We think it was made Veronica Yawakia, but it isn't marked and we don't remember exactly who made it.  It has a hook and eye clasp, and the length can be shortened by attaching the hook to a shorter bit of chain.

Necklace size: 18" Long - Needlepoint: 1.5" W x .75" L (includes pendant) - Earrings: .675" H (does not include wires) x .5" W

Our estimate is that this necklace was made in the 1970s.  The turquoise is a rich turquoise blue with shades of green.  The jaclas are an even richer and deeper turquoise with clam shell corn beads on the bottom.  The beads end with oxidized sterling silver beads and a hook and eye clasp.  What a beauty!

Size: Necklace 19.5" Long - does not include 5" long Jaclas 

Kewa Pueblo jeweler Torevia Crespin hand-rolled clam and melon shell, catlinite, jet, and turquoise to make this necklace.  The beads end with a sterling silver hook-and-eye clasp.  More about hand-rolled beads below.

Size: 25" Long

Hand-rolled beads are made by chipping out pieces of stone or shell.  A hole is drilled into the center of each chip.  The chips are strung on a wire and rolled, and rolled, and rolled until they are all the same width.  Sometimes they are graduated – a difficult task!  They are then polished until smooth.  There are hand-rolled necklaces from Kewa Pueblo that are over a thousand years old.  In the “old days”, the holes were drilled with a hand-pump drill, strung on handmade string, and rolled on sandstone.   There is nothing quite like hand-rolled Kewa beads!

Many of the Pueblos in New Mexico took on Spanish names after colonization and are now taking back their original names.  Kewa Pueblo is the traditional name of the place and the people.  It was known as Santo Domingo Pueblo for many, many years.

This hand-rolled beads necklace was made by Mary Coriz from Kewa Pueblo.  Materials include jet, melon shell, and colorful beads.  The beads end with a traditional wrap which makes wearing it very comfortable.  More about hand-rolled Kewa Pueblo beads below.

Size: 34" Long

Hand Rolled Beads Hand-rolled beads are made by chipping out pieces of stone or shell.  A hole is drilled into the center of each chip.  The chips are strung on a wire and rolled, and rolled, and rolled until they are all the same width.  Sometimes they are graduated – a difficult task!  They are then polished until smooth.  There are hand-rolled necklaces from Kewa Pueblo that are over a thousand years old.  In the “old days”, the holes were drilled with a hand-pump drill, strung on handmade string, and rolled on sandstone.   There is nothing quite like hand-rolled Kewa beads!

Many of the Pueblos in New Mexico took on Spanish names after colonization and are now taking back their original names.  Kewa Pueblo is the traditional name of the place and the people.  It was known as Santo Domingo Pueblo for many, many years.

Ten strands of hand-rolled jet beads is luscious!  Colorful beads are interspersed, giving the necklace a fiesta of color!  It was made by Mary Coriz from Kewa Pueblo.  The beads end with a traditional wrap which makes wearing it very comfortable.  More about hand-rolled Kewa Pueblo beads below.

Size: 34" Long

Hand Rolled Beads Hand-rolled beads are made by chipping out pieces of stone or shell.  A hole is drilled into the center of each chip.  The chips are strung on a wire and rolled, and rolled, and rolled until they are all the same width.  Sometimes they are graduated – a difficult task!  They are then polished until smooth.  There are hand-rolled necklaces from Kewa Pueblo that are over a thousand years old.  In the “old days”, the holes were drilled with a hand-pump drill, strung on handmade string, and rolled on sandstone.   There is nothing quite like hand-rolled Kewa beads!

Many of the Pueblos in New Mexico took on Spanish names after colonization and are now taking back their original names.  Kewa Pueblo is the traditional name of the place and the people.  It was known as Santo Domingo Pueblo for many, many years.