Antique Vintage Sterling Silver Native Navajo Pearl Bench Bead Necklace 37.8g
We have similar Beaded and Navajo items, which would pair nicely with this piece, for sale this week. Item Description by: Angela A. Age Circa: Antique Native Navajo C. Markings: Unmarked, tested, and guaranteed. Country of Origin: United States, Navajo Nation.
Gram Weight: 37.8 grams. Bead width: 8.71 mm to 12.61 mm.
Closure/Clasp Type: Hook and eye clasp. Handmade during the 1940s by a talented Navajo silversmith. 925 sterling silver, this beaded necklace is often referred to as a Navajo pearl necklace. The necklace features bench beads that were entirely and skillfully handmade using the repousse metalworking technique.Each bead was cut by hand and formed from two halves, with a small hole drilled through where a snake link chain was threaded. The beads, which are graduated in size, also feature hand-hammered stamped designs. The necklace was finished with a hook and eye clasp for secure wear. When worn, the necklace rests just below the collarbone on most people.
There is some tarnish on the sterling silver, giving the necklace an antique quality we believe is rather lovely. This listing is for the item only. This beautiful piece was made by a very talented Native American silversmith. It features handcrafted silversmith work throughout.
Antique Native American jewelry is very rare to find. This is due to these pieces being made for reservation and personal use before the tourist trade became popular.
Very few pieces were made and even less survived to today. The Navajo Nation sits on 27,000 square miles within the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. The Navajo have a rich history and culture and have become known for creating some of the finest sterling silver and turquoise jewelry, incorporating their own traditional motifs with silversmithing.
The squash blossom necklace is perhaps one the most famous Navajo styles produced, along with turquoise inlay rings. Turquoise is an important stone in Navajo culture; symbolizing happiness, good fortune, and good health. The first Navajo silversmith, Atsidi Sani, was taught around 1865 by a Mexican silversmith. Atsidi Sani, in turn, taught his four sons, who then started teaching other Navajo artisans. In the beginning, Navajo artisans created sterling silver jewelry for themselves and others in the Navajo Nation. The concept of Pawn, Old Pawn, and Dead Pawn Native American Jewelry came to be in the 1800s. When a loan wasnt repaid, the item became known as either Old Pawn or Dead Pawn.Navajo silversmiths, working from 1870 to 1900, learned about stamping from Mexican leather workers, and adopted this to their metal working. Artisans made their own stamps that were passed down to each generation. Stampings are usually hand hammered using handcrafted or die stamps and include traditional Native American symbols, such as sunbursts, to ornate landscapes. This technique has been passed on and utilized by other Native American tribes and continues to be a popular method of jewelry making. The item "Antique Vintage Sterling Silver Native Navajo Pearl Bench Bead Necklace 37.8g" is in sale since Sunday, September 27, 2020.
This item is in the category "Jewelry & Watches\Ethnic, Regional & Tribal\Native American\Necklaces & Pendants". The seller is "abeautifultimeco" and is located in Fort Collins, Colorado. This item can be shipped worldwide.- Country of Origin: United States, Navajo Nation
- Modified Item: No
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
- Ethnic Origin: Navajo
- Metal Purity: .925
- Metal: Sterling Silver
- Jewelry Type: Necklaces
- Tribal Affiliation: Navajo