American Turquoise Jewelry

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Native American Indian Turquoise Jewelry Silversmithing came to the Southwestern United States from the Spaniards. It is a general consensus that the first silversmith was Atsidi Sani (Navajo) who was introduced to silver between 1850 and 1860. In the 19th century, silver was made into items to adorn Native Americans as well as utensils to assist them in daily life. After the Indian war period, Indian reservations came to be. Soon, traders to the Navajo realized their silverwork was one of the items that were marketable for trade. Shortly after 1800 Indian Trading Posts arose and the proprietors of the Posts began encouraging the Natives to make silver adornments and utensils for trade to the settlers, now known as Vintage Indian Jewelry. Soon after, the railroad made its way through the southwest to California. The Fred Harvey Co. as well as others set up Trading Posts to sell Indian curios and Native American Jewelry to tourists as the trains would stop for various reasons. Shortly after the turn of the century route 66 was built and went through New Mexico and Arizona and Indian Trading Posts went up one after another. Throughout the 20th century, Indian Jewelry (Navajo, Hopi and Zuni) became one of the prime crafts that tourists purchased while traveling through the southwest. By the 1940’ s, Native American Indian Jewelry was being sold in retail store and theme parks throughout Arizona, New Mexico, California and beyond. In the 1960’ s, Native American Indian Jewelry and Turquoise had become very popular throughout the world. Turquoise became highly sot after and prospectors began searching hard for additional resources to supply the market. Turquoise was found in Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico. Jewelry supply companies and rock shops began to spring up throughout the southwest. Once silver, turquoise and tools were readily available, jewelry making became a standard occupation for the Native Americans as well as Anglos and Hispanics of the southwest. Jewelry production shops began springing up throughout the southwest, which would be run primarily by Anglo Americans. Better control of materials, use of production techniques, and total control of the designs being made good sense to the traders. Typically, shop owners hired Native Americans as well as others to work in conjunction, in a production manner, to create the designs developed by the shop owners based on customer demand. At the same time, individual (more artistic) Native American Silversmiths continued to work out of their own homes to create their own unique styles and designs. Collectors, then and now, seek out these individual silversmiths for their “one of a kind” pieces. Generally, “one of a kind” pieces command much great value then production shop jewelry. In the 1970’ s, there was an explosion of interest in Turquoise Jewelry of all sorts. This period brought the interest level to never seen before heights. The industry grew exponentially and it seemed as though there was a new gold rush. You can find good examples of Native American Turquoise Jewelry as well as contemporary Turquoise Jewelry from the well known Indian Trading Company, Durango Silver Company in Durango, Co.   Native American Hallmarks

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Address: 17897 Hwy 160 Durango, CO 81301 Contact Dillon Hartman at: E-mail: durangodillon@gmail.com

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