Stolen Item Alert

As members of the Antique Tribal Art Dealers Association (ATADA), we periodically receive alerts concerning items of tribal art that have been reported stolen. Experience suggests that wide dissemination of the alert to those who buy, collect or deal in tribal art can lead either to the arrest of the thief or suppression of the item's value as it is a crime to possess stolen property.

The latest alert concerns a three-stone turquoise Navajo bracelet.


More information about the stolen item and other stolen items reported to ATADA can be found at this link. http://www.atada.org/theft.html#szephyr2010

Aboriginals: Art of the First Person and its subsidiary web site, Native-JewelryLink.com are happy to support ATADA's efforts to discourage the theft of tribal art by reposting these alerts.

Native American jewelry, Gold and Silver

In December last year, I blogged about gold hovering around $1,200 an ounce, comparing that to to an earlier message when I reported it was about $800 per ounce.

Today, it probably will close above $1,300 per ounce. Silver is tagging right along behind it, having moved from about $12 an ounce to above $21 per ounce when I checked last.

Silver plays an essential part in the making of of the Native American jewelry. Gold is less important these days because the price of gold has moved above the investment level of many American Indian jewelry artists.

Will silver be the next precious metal that becomes "too precious" for use in native American Indian jewelry?

No one knows. And no one should encourage you or anyone else to buy either gold or silver as an investment. If you have the resources, the ability to take the risk and a lot more knowledge than we can impart here, it might be worth making it a part of your investment portfolio.

On the other hand, we know that the increase in the value of gold, and more important recently, silver, means that jewelry we acquired at much lower gold prices and silver prices are much more valuable today. If history repeats, it will become more valuable still.

Here's the really good news. None of the precious metal jewelry items we have for sale has been increased in price. We are charging exactly what we were back then. Clearly, the replacement cost will be higher. But that is for us to worry about.

As the Holidays approach and gift giving begins to rise on our interest levels, this is an excellent time to visit our Native-JewelryLink web site and shop.

For the month of October, we will even ship jewelry orders domestically at our expense, free to you (exclusive of insurance, if requested), just to get you in the Christmas shopping mode.

Of course, as always, if you are unhappy with your purchase from us after you receive it, you have seven days to let us know and a reasonable time thereafter to send it back for a refund. If you purchase it as a gift, we will honor the return privilege until 10 days after Christmas.

Stop by and see some of the most gorgeous Native America Indian jewelry you will ever see, artists such as Begay, Plummer, Jackson, Dewa, Ration, Coonsis and others. Thank you.

Ten reasons to give your Mom authentic Native American jewelry for Mother’s Day

1. She’s your Mother. Du-uhh.
2. Better than a Mother’s Day Card. Are you kidding? What part of reason #1 did you not understand?
3. Better than candy. Candy rots the teeth. Is that any way to treat your Mother? (Of course, they say chocolate is good for your heart. But, still…).
4. Better than flowers. Flowers promote allergies. A week later, the flowers are gone; the sneezing lingers on.
5. Like your Mother, it’s one of a kind. No two pieces of authentic hand-made Native American jewelry are identical.
6. Like your Mother, Native American jewelry is filled with love. Cherished in the making, almost like a child.
7. There are so many choices. Earrings, bracelets, necklaces, pins, pendants. There is bound to be something your Mother will wear with pride.
8. There are so many beautiful materials. Silver, gold, turquoise, coral, shell, lapis, sugilite, malachite, mother of pearl, opal. Colors to match her favorite outfit.
9. Prices are reasonable, especially considering the artistry, time and care that goes into the making. Even high-end pieces are good value.
10. She is worth it. See reason #1.

Brought to you in blatant self-interest by the proprietors of Native-JewelryLink.com.

Happy Mother's Day to all.

Grace Wintle, owner of Blue Ridge Turquoise Mine passes.

We have received word that Grace Wintle, who owned the Blue Ridge Mine in Lander County, Nevada, with her husband, Jay, has passed on.


Grace was a legend in turquoise mining. She, inherited the mine from her father, Orvil Jack and mother, Bessie Jack. Blue Ridge was famous for beautiful blue spiderweb turquoise and for the even more striking green turquoise that took on the name of Orvil Jack. It is highly treasured among jewelry makers and lapidarists.


Grace said that her father , who moved to Nevada in 1956, didn’t really value the green turquoise early during his mining activities. She is reported as having described green turquoise as rarely found in the early years of the mine and her childhood. When it was found, it usually was thrown away.


It was only later in life that Orvil came to appreciate the beauty of the green turquoise that was named after him. That change of opinion coincided with the discovery of the a particular area with the most beautiful green stones., the bulk of which he kept in the mine’s possession, selling very little of it. Ovil passed away in 1986.


With turquoise playing such an important role in Native American jewelry, Grace’s passing represent a loss to the art and all who have used turquoise in their jewelry.


Grace Wintle will be missed by all who love turquoise, especially the beautiful Orvil Jack variety, and by all who knew her and enjoyed her stories of the early days at Blue Ridge.

Turquoise before it’s jewelry, by Waites

I recently discovered a discussion group on Yahoo that features turquoise – before it finds its way into Native American or any other jewelry. The group, American Turquoise Mines, continually interests me as the members discuss various “varieties” of turquoise, based on the mine it is believed to originate from.

So far as I can tell, these are almost exclusively miners of turquoise, resellers of raw turquoise or lapidaries who cut, slice and polish it for use in jewelry made by others.

I may be wrong, but there appears to be a decided dislike for Chinese, as opposed to American, turquoise. Maybe I am just reading that into comments in a group that focuses on American turquoise. At the very least, they get upset about Chinese turquoise that is misidentified by sellers as “American.” Rightly so.

They also evaluate the turquoise being offered on eBay and the sellers of that material. Helpful, if not completely authoritative. Take it with a grain.

Anyway, there are numerous turquoise varieties - in green and white in addition to blue - from the following mines: Apache, Bisbee, Number 8, Blue Gem, Blue Ice, Blue Jay, Blue June, Blue Star, California Gem, Candelaria, Caeico Lake, Cerrillos, Cripple Creek, Damele, Dameli, Duvall Kingman, Fox Mine, Hatchita Float, Indian Mountain, Indian Blue, Last Chance, Lander Blue, Lander Blue Web, Lil Chalchihuital, Lizard Jim, Mastrada, Morenci, Nevada Blue, Green #8, Edgar #8, Orogrande Float, Orvil Jack, Oscar Wehrent, Pilot Mountain, Pixie,, Royston, Searchlight, Shadow Mountain, Sleeping Beauty, Smith, Stennich, Timberline, Tyrone, Valley View, Verde, Turquoise Mountain, White Buffalo.

Did you have any idea that there were that many turquoise mines – in the U.S., no less?

One recent subject of extensive discussion was (Sacred) White Buffalo turquoise. Some commenters believe it is not turquoise at all, but some similar material. Others believe it is genuine turquoise by chemical and physical analysis that’s whiteness is simply very pale blue.

Quoting from one member of the group -

“When discovered in the Dry Creek Mine on the Shoshone Indian Reservation near Battle Mountain, Nevada in 1993, they were not sure what it was. Because of its hardness, it was decided to send it to have it assayed and their suspicions proved correct; it was in fact Turquoise. It was not until 1996 however that it was finally made into Jewelry.

“Turquoise gets its color from the heavy metals in the ground where it forms. Blue turquoise forms when there is copper present, which is the case with most Arizona turquoises. Green turquoise forms where iron is present, the case with most Nevada turquoises. Sacred Buffalo Turquoise forms where there was no heavy metal present, which turns out to be a rare occurrence. The lack of any specific color consistency makes this stone distinctive and unique from other turquoises.

“Because this turquoise is so rare, the Indians have named it “Sacred Buffalo” turquoise.”

Native American Indian jewelry relies heavily on turquoise for gem material. Since the raw turquoise used costs more or less depending on the quality and rarity of stone, it also influences the cost of he jewelry in which it appears. Of course there are other factors as well, including the skill and reputation of the jewelry maker.

Nevertheless, the more you know about turquoise, the sharper you will be as a Native American jewelry buyer.

You'll find a number of outstanding turquoise pieces at our Native-JewelryLink web site. Where we know the source mine, we quote it. We intend to be even more diligent in determining the variety. Often, the artist doesn't know.

By the way, turquoise plays a major role in Zuni fetish carvings in addition, especially in carvings by the Gasper family, Jeff Tsalabutie and Alonzo Esalio. See examples at these links.