Almost six months into my journey with southwest Native American jewelry and I must say I am thoroughly excited with how far I have come and the treasures I have uncovered. Every exchange with fellow collectors has been fun and interesting, and it encourages me to continue my research. As with every endeavor I undertake, my goal is to quickly familiarize myself with quality subject matter in order to gain a learned eye and to start forming quality opinions, while simultaneously learning where my personal tastes reside from a true collecting standpoint.
To back up a bit, my desire to collect southwest Native American jewelry stems not only from its beauty and wearability, but from the stance of needing another hobby to research to serve as a respite from the very gloomy state of affairs in US politics. Additionally, earlier this year, my husband and I attended a cocktail party at the Denver Art Museum for an exhibition opening of the talented indigenous artist Kent Monkman —History is Painted by the Victors— which was truly remarkable. While there, I was looking around at the other guests, many of whom had donned their southwest Native American jewelry in support of the evening even though Kent Monkman is an indigenous Canadian artist, and I was inspired by the beauty it all. Denver still shows much of its old “cow town” and “cowboy” roots, so western attire and southwest Native American jewelry are frequently seen today in daily life.
While my passion for Murano glass remains as strong as ever, I have found myself in the position of passionate research and collecting of Native American jewelry, specifically the work of the Navajo and Pueblo people. I quickly realized that I prefer the historic period of Navajo and Pueblo jewelry making, prior to 1945 or so, and purchased numerous important books on the subject. I sought out, and continue to seek out, learned collectors and dealers to glean whatever information and insight they have to offer. Social media has helped tremendously in connecting with these individuals and I am indebted to those who have aided me so far. My gratitude is immense. Like with any nuanced subject, hearing the experiences of those tenured is a vital part of building my knowledge base.
Over the last few months, I have collected numerous rings, a few cuffs, and a few pins, but my focus has been on the former. I really enjoy the small dose of design that rings have to offer, as well as the wide variety of forms, plus their price point is generally a bit lower than going straight into ingot silver cuffs. Along with this article are a few pictures of the rings I have so far taken into my care.
In talking with other collectors and dealers, the overarching statement regarding the jewelry is the innate energy the pieces possess. As with Murano glass, you can overtly see the individual creator’s passion and eye for design coming through in the execution. Seeing the hammer and chisel strikes, the filing marks, and the often hand-cut stones all provide a connection to the artist and all add a mystique that has such an intrinsic value. This energy and emotions are difficult to articulate, but they are without a doubt present. I hope you enjoy seeing the fortunes of my obsessive collecting. Please send me a message if you have any comments or questions. I would love to hear from you.
