b"Check Out Our Latest Clothing and Footwear!By Jim Olson, 2019 inuence), they did not hallmark their wares. A common belief (especially with WesternTradingPost.com regards to the Navajo who were the largest group of silversmiths), is that this practice was rejected because they were a humble people and hallmarking an A dvanced collectors of Native American and Southwestern style jewelry willitem was the to bring attention to yourself, which was the same a bragging or most often turn an item over and inspect the back of it after glancing at theboasting. This was frowned upon in their culture at the time. There are other front. In many cases, the back can tell them just as much as the front. Youtheories as well.can tell about construction (hand-wrought or casting method, etc.) and also, that is where you will generally nd the hallmarks. What do the hallmarks tell them? Early 1900s manufacturers of Southwestern style jewelry however, often hallmarked their products. Companies like Pacic Jewelry, H.H. Tammen, Arrow Here is a little history of hallmarks. Way back in 1158, King Henry II passedNovelty, Bell and others would hallmark their jewelry for silver content and also a law stating that all British silver coins had to be minted in 92.5% (.925) purewith their company marks. It was predominately the individual silversmiths who silver and 7.5% copper. This alloy was known as Sterling Silver. Then, in 1238,did not mark their items at that time.Henry III passed a law that said no silver items could be made which were worse than the king's money, and therefore, sterling silver became the standardThat all started to change in about the 1930s. You see, when Native American for silver items. In 1300 Edward II passed a law saying no item made of silverstyle jewelry started to gain in popularity with the tourist visiting the Southwest could be sold until it had been assayed and marked with a hallmark dedicatedin the early 1900s, opportunist jumped in and started producing Southwest style for the purpose of verifying the silver content. So now we have the rst widelyjewelry that competed with the authentic Native pieces. This eventually became recorded silver hallmark. Along the way, England added additional requirementssuch a problem that in the 1930s, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB) of the silversmiths until they eventually had a system of being able to tell thestepped up to address the issue. They implemented a hallmarking system that, metal purity, maker, city and date where an item was made, just by looking atwhile well-intended, was not user friendly and did not last long. It did however the hallmarks. This system eventually became one of the most highly structuredserve as a catalyst for the hallmarking of Native silver jewelry in the Southwest.hallmarking systems in the world and is still used throughout the United Kingdom to this day.From the 1930s till the 1970s, the progress was slow. Most Native jewelry was still not hallmarked as old habits and beliefs tend to hang on. However, in the Silversmiths in Colonial America were predominantly of European descent and1970s, there was a huge turquoise jewelry boom. There was so much money they typically used hallmarks. Their trade was brought over from England andbeing made in the business that imports once again became an issue. This time, a neighboring countries, where, as stated above, hallmarks had been in use for a longnew generation of Native American silversmiths widely accepted the fact, that in time. The silversmithing trade slowly worked its way west along with colonization.order to set their items apart and to authenticate them, they must be hallmarked. Hallmarking then became the rule, not the exception. Native hallmarks are not From left to right: Attributed to Navajo Silversmith Tommy Singer; Bell Trading Post Hallmark; The thick T that is not filled in is actually an antelope rattle, the hallmark ofHopi artist Floyd Namingha Lomakuyvaya of the Strap Clanin the village of Shungopavi. He learned from Kenneth Kuwanvayouma and started producing in 1973.In the United States, there is no law stating precious metals have to bethat different than those of other silversmiths in the United States, often using hallmarked, however, if a quality mark is used (ie: sterling, coin silver, etc.) thentheir initials or names, and sometimes symbols or brands are used.it is also required to be marked by the artist or manufacturer. This way, if there is ever a question as to the metal content, the maker can be traced and heldIn America, silver hallmarks tend to resemble that of the United Kingdom as accountable. Obviously this law was not adhered to well as you will often seefar a metal content is concerned. We use the words sterling or coin silver to items that say nothing more than sterling, or coin silver, etc indicate purity instead of a fractional interest (such as .925 or .900, even though they mean the same thing). Much of the rest of the world uses the fractional Down south, the Aztecs were making gold and silver jewelry when the Spanishinterest numbers.HOURSarrived in what is now Mexico. The arrival of the Spaniards however, brought new techniques and designs to the Natives. With an abundance of silver inIn summary, most jewelers in the United States hallmark with the words SterlingMonFri: 8am6pmMexico, this eventually became the metal of choice for Mexican silversmiths. Theor Coin Silver rather than their counterparts, .925 or .900 and they also use anSat: 8am4pmSun: Closedcraft crept northward along with the colonization of Mexico. History tells us thisidentiable hallmark or signature to identify themselves as the artist. A lot of is likely where the Native Americans of the Southwest rst came into contact withtimes, when you see the numerical versions of silver content on a piece, it can the art form. The Spanish did not have a mandatory hallmarking system like theirbe an indication of an item made elsewhere in the world. Remember though,LOW PRICES & European neighbors, but they did have a voluntary system which was generallymuch Native American and Southwest style jewelry made before the 1930s is adhered to and also followed when they started making items in the Newnot hallmarked at all. Although hallmarking silver jewelry was slowly gainingFRIENDLY STAFF!World. Most of the items were hallmarked. popularity from the 1930s through the 70s, you will still see a lot of it that was not marked from that period either. From the 1970s to current, most of it is By the early 1800s, many Native Americans in the Plains and Western parts ofhallmarked and any modern item that is not marked is probably suspect in some@Stockman the United States had been exposed to the silversmithing trade. It is generallyway. In recent times, several folks have done a lot of research on the subject accepted that sometime in the mid-1800s, the craft was starting to take hold andand there are now many books and resources out there with databases of silverFeeds AZ 7315 W. Buckeye Rd.by the late 1800s, it was being widely practiced. Silversmithing knowledge camehallmarks and the makers. This is a nice way to gure out who the artists are to them from both the south and the east. By the late 1800s, when silversmithingbecause items made by certain silversmiths can demand a premium. starting to become a way of making money, Natives were inuenced by a blend of@stockmanfeeds_az Phoenix, AZ 85043their own cultures and the traders who marketed their wares. Most early NativeAs you can tell, hallmarks are very important to know about when studying silversmiths however, did not hallmark their items. jewelry, however, they can be faked, so you should always deal with reputable sellers who stand behind what they sell. Besides educating yourself about theSe Habla Espaol (623) 936-5549Although it was common for silver jewelry to be hallmarked elsewhere inhallmarks, you should always buy something that appeals to you and that you the United States and Mexico (the Native Americans two largest sources ofwill enjoy owning. 24 May 2019 stockmanfeedswesternwear.com"