Collectibles for Sale, Old and New

Native America Jewelry for Sale

Native American Jewelry

Hopi Jewelry for Sale

Originally, Hopi silversmithing was similar to that of the Navajo because they were first taught this craft by the Navajo. Then around 1940, the Hopi began to develop a style of their own. Now the style closely associated with Hopi silverwork is known as "overlay" and this process combined with pottery designs gives the work a very contemporary look.

In the overlay process the jewelry is produced by sweating or soldering two flat pieces of silver together. On the top piece, the design is carefully cut away making it somewhat like a stencil. It is then sweated to the bottom piece, which is a solid uncut sheet of silver which has been oxidized to produce a contrasting background. The oxidized area blackens and contrasts strikingly against the polished silver of the top layer. The piece is finished by buffing and polishing.

Navajo Jewelry for Sale

For the Navajo silversmith the use of turquoise has only one use, to compliment the silverwork. The silverwork, not the setting stands out as the area given the most attention. Traditional Navajo jewelry is absolutely symetrical in design. The work is always begun in the center of the piece and worked out towards the edges. Authentic Navajo jewelry incorporates nothing symbolic, religious, or representative.

Zuni Jewelry for Sale

The Zuni are the most accomplished jewelers of the American Indian Tribes. Their jewelry appears more delicate and light weight because of less silver and smaller stones usually used. The rule is to use only enough silver to form a firm base for the stones.

The styles of work used by the Zuni are: Inlay - setting the stones into (not onto) another surface. The finished product results in the inlayed portion being absolutely flush with the surrounding surface. Mosaic (outlay) - The opposite of inlay, where the stones are placed on top of a surface, not laid into it. Needlepoint - a design worked with small, narrow, elongated stones of the same size.