Turquoise/Native American jewelry

[randooch]

Wow, Alan, what a sextet!

I lived in Bisbee for 5 years and drove by that pit mine almost every day.

 

[Feraud]

Absolutely beautiful pieces!

 

[alanfgag]

Thank you Feraud and Randall!

There is a lot of wonderful turquoise, but the older Bisbee stones with a lot of black matrix is my favorite, I think.

Feraud, the buckle that you posted to open this thread is quite a piece. Do you wear it? Looks massive.

 

[howardeye]

Wow and Wow. The only ties I wear now are bolos. The overlay is fantastic. My favorite style. I do not have anything with stones for myself. My favorite bolo is the one in my picture. The guy who made it made the rattlesnake hat belt also. He is an Etsy seller. Lives in some desert out west and cures them with deer brains. The old fashion way!

For the others .999 is Fine Silver and considered too soft for jewelry. I have never used it but some do. It does not tarnish at all because there is no copper added to it. And for Bisbee Turquoise someone mentioned I think it is another beautiful stone and highly desirable to collectors also.

 

[alanfgag]

Same with me. I have quite a few beautiful ties but I wear bolos almost all the time now. I have a few others, but these six are my favorites.

 

[Feraud]

Feraud, the buckle that you posted to open this thread is quite a piece. Do you wear it? Looks massive.

Yes I do wear it. It's not quite massive but pretty close to it!

 

[randooch]

This was my late father's pride and joy. Zuni, circa 1940's

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Nice piece the image link is messed up and after a couple of tries I see it.

 

[earl]

Lovely pieces here. Am a fan of Native American jewelry, having 3 rings, 2 bolos, (1 of which is Lakota beadwork from my native South Dakota, the other a turquouis piece about 5 inches in diameter from New Mexico), and a Zuni inlaid watch. Only signed piece is a ring from Cheyenne artist Lutz Whitebird. Since some of the posters in this thread seem quite knowledgeable about N.A. jewelry makers, was wondering if you could tell me anything about Whitebird. thanks, Earl

 

[alanfgag]

Great piece and provenance, Randall.

Can't tell you much more about Lutz Whitebird other than the legal case that comes up with a Google search... Cheyenne artisan who lives/lived in OK and a few examples of his work.

 

[earl]

Great piece and provenance, Randall.

Can't tell you much more about Lutz Whitebird other than the legal case that comes up with a Google search... Cheyenne artisan who lives/lived in OK and a few examples of his work.

Alan, you got me curious about that legal case, so looked it up. 1974 Oklahoma case involving a stolen/ butchered cow. OKayyyyy:eeek: Earl

 

[howardeye]

Nice tie Randall! Had to take a lot of hours to make. I have been tempted to do some ivory inlay but not enough time. I am a year behind on some scrimshaw jobs I started. Looks like abalone for the hair or pigtails coming down the sides. Very unique and tells a story if you look at it long enough.

 

[alanfgag]

Alan, you got me curious about that legal case, so looked it up. 1974 Oklahoma case involving a stolen/ butchered cow. OKayyyyy:eeek: Earl

It's not the kind of story one would want at the top of their Google curriculum vitae. Searching Native American artists is not easy... there is surprisingly little documented about earlier makers, even the most respected.

 

[TomS]

Like the bolo, Randall... thanks for posting!

 

[randooch]

Nice tie Randall! Had to take a lot of hours to make. I have been tempted to do some ivory inlay but not enough time. I am a year behind on some scrimshaw jobs I started. Looks like abalone for the hair or pigtails coming down the sides. Very unique and tells a story if you look at it long enough.

Like the bolo, Randall... thanks for posting!

Nice piece . . .

Great piece and provenance, Randall.

Thank you, gents. My oldest brother has it now, and he has children and grandchildren to pass it along to, unlike me. Hmmmm. Maybe I should ask to borrow it for a decade . . .

 

[Valerius]

Does anyone wear turquoise bracelets? I've wondered whether men here would be inclined to wear them--personally, I like em.

 

[Feraud]

I have one and wear it.

 

[alanfgag]

I have a couple of cuffs - both silver without turquoise - and I wear them both. I would certainly wear a turquoise bracelet if and when I find one that appeals to me.

 

[earl]

Does anyone wear turquoise bracelets? I've wondered whether men here would be inclined to wear them--personally, I like em.

I'd wear 1 if I had 1 appealing to me. I do occasionally wear a Nepalese silver band heavily incised with Buddhist images along with the occasional bead Buddhist wrist mala. Earl

 

[Valerius]

Sometimes I find that turquoise jewelry is very unisex...as if there is not a distinct masculine style like in other jewelry types. Am I just imagining things or is this the experience of others as well?

What do you guys think of this cuff? Too feminine?