Turner Auctions + Appraisals is pleased to present Native American Jewelry on Saturday, December 8, 2018. Offering over 300 lots, mostly from one major collector, this extensive sale features a fine selection of Native American and Southwest jewelry, including bracelets, squash blossom and heishi necklaces, ladies’ and men’s rings, numerous watch cuffs and watch bands, concho and other belts, brooches and pins, pendants, hat bands, belt buckles, bolos, and ketohs. Most are Native American, including Navajo and Zuni, with sterling or coin silver; most have turquoise, coral or other embellishments. All are Old Pawn or vintage. Several other related items round out the sale, including a desk set, bead work items and a Navajo rug.
Of note, this is the final sale of items from a major collector whose exceptional jewelry Turner Auctions + Appraisals has been privileged to offer buyers over the past two years. The owner of this collection was a major dealer and collector of Navajo, Zuni and Hopi jewelry in Southern California for over 30 years. From the mid-1970s to the early 2000s, he operated a retail business that sold vintage, contemporary and custom Southwest jewelry to movie studios, prop and costume houses, and collectors. All auction items were “from the vault” – ones that were reserved for personal use or set aside for future appreciation. Everything in his collection is original and hand-made. Most items are made of heavy, solid silver – either coin or sterling silver, and adorned with gem-quality stones and elaborate hand-cut bezels. The majority were crafted by talented artists; many are maker-stamped. Some items are vintage ceremonial pieces; many are museum-quality. None of the pieces have color-enhanced stones, or are plated with silver or nickel. Overall, the owner’s quest was to obtain top-quality items that were out of the ordinary – the finest examples of handwork he could find.
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