Turquoise/Native American jewelry

[howardeye]

Great shot for a fabulous piece of jewelry. The Begay family is very gifted.

 

[DesertDan]

I learned last night that the mountain the pendant is based on is likely Picacho Peak just north of Tucson.

Interesting. I have been to Picacho Peak many times (and driven past it many more ) I am not aware of it having any significance as a sacred place. It is however the site of the westernmost battle of the Civil War and they conduct reenactments there each year.

 

[alanfgag]

Hi Dan... I think this peak might have had special meaning to Kenneth Begay rather than in Navajo culture. I did read about the Civil War connection.

 

[cw3pa]

Here's a small Squash Blossom I picked up in Colorado for my wife about 30+ years ago.

And a bit of a Coral necklace I found in Albuquerque.

 

[Eckharti]

 

[alanfgag]

Very nice pieces... thanks for sharing them.

Here is an older unmarked ring I purchased recently. I thought the turquoise looked nice in the auction photos and it looks better in person.

 

[howardeye]

Beautiful stones and jewelry everyone. Here is something unusual I picked up from a Sioux Indian of the Lakota Tribe whose name is Mitchell Zephier. The stones are Quahog (wampum) which comes from a mussel shell in a New England Bay. I have made several creations with this rare and expensive material for my wife only.

 

[alanfgag]

Neat... is it mussel or clam shell?

 

[howardeye]

I guess it is a hard shell clam. To us hillbillies they are all the same! I have never been able to buy a thick enough shell to make the thicker beads. The more purple in the bead the higher the price also. Here is a link about wampum and the quahog shell pronounced quahoe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wampum

 

[Michaelshane]

Some things I do....

I'll tell you my story later when I have more time....

 

[SHOWSOMECLASS]

Love the details on the antenna's of your butterfly work.

 

[howardeye]

Nice work Michaelshane! If you are ever interested in ivory inlay I have a lot of thin pieces I will part with. I can only ship within the USA.

 

[Feraud]

Very nice work Michaelshane.

 

[gtdean48]

Very nice work Michaelshane.

+1...

 

[Michaelshane]

I started making jewelry in 1973.I rediscoverd the art of hand hammering,or hot forging silver jewelry from ingots.

 

[gtdean48]

...

NICE! I'd trade a hat for some of that!!!!

 

[Michaelshane]

A ranger set like this would be about 20 Stetson 100's.

 

[gtdean48]

A ranger set like this would be about 20 Stetson 100's.
...

No doubt...that's why I only said "some of that"....

 

[RBH]

Sweet work!

 

[Feraud]

A ranger set like this would be about 20 Stetson 100's.

That is a gorgeous set. The snake prong is a great detail!