REAL Native American Jewelry~

[essiedub]

I have something fun to share! Thanks to this thread, I spied this little treasure in a local antique shop. It is that Dishta look that jellyV and OrbitOrange were discussing earlier in the thread. I believe it was an earring that lost its twin and was thus “converted into a pendant

Original earring configuration Source: brownstrading.com
Looks like they flipped the top “flower” and embedded it into the concentric circles
This is the back, where you can see the earring back bump.

It can easily be converted back to the earring configuration (and still be a pendant) with the little “flower” at the top..but this kind of works. What do y’all think?

 

[chessmont]

O M G I had a jewelry disaster yesterday! I was putting on one of my Squash Blossom necklaces as I wear them even with tees and jeans around town, or even if I stay home. Suddenly, Beads went flying everywhere!!!!! I crawled around on my hands and knees and I am pretty sure I found them all. I could not see what happened because whenI tried to look, more beads fell off. I put everything in a ziplock and ran to the jeweler who had restrung this necklace on a stronger chain than the box chains which are not as strong, (IMO) I think they are more prone to breakage from the shape of the chain after years of being bent a certain way often under some weight.

Apparently, a solder point had broken. They will of course fix this for me no charge AND I said make sure every single solder joint is solid! Redo them all if you have to!

What if it had happened out on the street? I would have just dissolved into a puddle of hysterical tears.

This happened to me once before, also in the bedroom while I was putting it on. The NA gods must be looking out for me! That's when I decided to replace all my box chains. My necklaces are all over 20 years old.

My heart was in my throat! I thought you folks here would understand my freakout!!!

 

[essiedub]

O M G I had a jewelry disaster yesterday! I was putting on one of my Squash Blossom necklaces as I wear them even with tees and jeans around town, or even if I stay home. Suddenly, Beads went flying everywhere!!!!! I crawled around on my hands and knees and I am pretty sure I found them all. I could not see what happened because whenI tried to look, more beads fell off. I put everything in a ziplock and ran to the jeweler who had restrung this necklace on a stronger chain than the box chains which are not as strong, (IMO)

Apparently, a solder point had broken. They will of course fix this for me no charge AND I said make sure every single solder joint is solid! Redo them all if you have to!

What if it had happened out on the street? I would have just dissolved into a puddle of hysterical tears.

This happened to me once before, also in the bedroom while I was putting it on. The NA gods must be looking out for me! That's when I decided to replace all my box chains. My necklaces are all over 20 years old.

My heart was in my throat! I thought you folks here would understand my freakout!!!

Ugh. This is awful indeed! Twice this happened?! Yes I think the NA gods are definitely with you. I think maybe you should get a new chain ..isn’t the traditional “interior” chain something called foxtail ..kinda braided looking? It seems solder points are the weak points. Anyway, I would like to see your beautiful necklace once restrung..I don't recall seeing it posted

re: that they both broke at home, I think you are lucky. You should go buy a lottery ticket

 

[chessmont]

I have another recent story, but a good one - I was heading into Office Depot the other day and a woman was running up to me saying, "oh I have to see it!" I look nervously around and wonder what the hell she is talking about. Before she gets to me, she says, "I collect them!" I was wearing one of my Squash Blossoms.
So we chatted awhile and she said she thought it was (Royston? Is that the one that has a lot of brown and black in it?) It really didn't strike me as that, but I have a feeling she knew what she was talking about. She told me she has 30 Squash Blossom necklaces and 40 cuffs. O M G! Anyway it was fun chatting with her about the look of the turquoise from different mines, etc.

 

[chessmont]

Ugh. This is awful indeed! Twice this happened?! Yes I think the NA gods are definitely with you. I think maybe you should get a new chain ..isn’t the traditional “interior” chain something called foxtail ..kinda braided looking? It seems solder points are the weak points. Anyway, I would like to see your beautiful necklace once restrung..I don't recall seeing it posted

re: that they both broke at home, I think you are lucky. You should go buy a lottery ticket

actually I thinking I posted 3 back near the beginning of this thread as well as several cuffs. I hope you can go back and find them. I'll have to look up this foxtail chain and maybe suggest it to my jeweler.

 

[chessmont]

essidub, those type of chains do look strong! I am going to call my jeweler right now - thanks for the suggestion.

Edited to add:

I just spoke with my guy; he says the two they restrung for me are on foxtail chains, but they may not look as thick as the pics I saw online, because they can only use as large as will fit through the bead holes.

 

[essiedub]

I have another recent story, but a good one - I was heading into Office Depot the other day and a woman was running up to me saying, "oh I have to see it!" I look nervously around and wonder what the hell she is talking about. Before she gets to me, she says, "I collect them!" I was wearing one of my Squash Blossoms.
So we chatted awhile and she said she thought it was (Royston? Is that the one that has a lot of brown and black in it?) It really didn't strike me as that, but I have a feeling she knew what she was talking about. She told me she has 30 Squash Blossom necklaces and 40 cuffs. O M G! Anyway it was fun chatting with her about the look of the turquoise from different mines, etc.

That must have been so awesome! Having this common interest, that is. I’m so glad we have this thread. My DH just thinks I’m a little nuts..wut? Shrug. I have squash blossom necklace as a wishlist item but think I need to see, touch and try on these things in person. I am going to go back through the this thread to look for your necklace!

One day, we’ll need to do one of those TPF meetups somewhere ..like in NM, where we can totally get decked out in all our goodies and talk all things NAJewelry! (And buy more)

 

[chessmont]

I also just looked at all my necklaces- they all look to be on foxtail chains, but some are not that easy for me to see, some are thicker than others and I had to use my reading glasses as it is. When I pick up my other one, I will bring them all in for him to check....

 

[chessmont]

That must have been so awesome! Having this common interest, that is. I’m so glad we have this thread. My DH just thinks I’m a little nuts..wut? Shrug. I have squash blossom necklace as a wishlist item but think I need to see, touch and try on these things in person. I am going to go back through the this thread to look for your necklace!

One day, we’ll need to do one of those TPF meetups somewhere ..like in NM, where we can totally get decked out in all our goodies and talk all things NAJewelry! (And buy more)

I think I posted 3...

 

[Compass Rose]

O M G I had a jewelry disaster yesterday! I was putting on one of my Squash Blossom necklaces as I wear them even with tees and jeans around town, or even if I stay home. Suddenly, Beads went flying everywhere!!!!! I crawled around on my hands and knees and I am pretty sure I found them all. I could not see what happened because whenI tried to look, more beads fell off. I put everything in a ziplock and ran to the jeweler who had restrung this necklace on a stronger chain than the box chains which are not as strong, (IMO) I think they are more prone to breakage from the shape of the chain after years of being bent a certain way often under some weight.

Apparently, a solder point had broken. They will of course fix this for me no charge AND I said make sure every single solder joint is solid! Redo them all if you have to!

What if it had happened out on the street? I would have just dissolved into a puddle of hysterical tears.

This happened to me once before, also in the bedroom while I was putting it on. The NA gods must be looking out for me! That's when I decided to replace all my box chains. My necklaces are all over 20 years old.

My heart was in my throat! I thought you folks here would understand my freakout!!!

I would have died!!!! And with my luck, I would have been riding a rollercoaster at the time.

 

[chessmont]

I would have died!!!! And with my luck, I would have been riding a rollercoaster at the time.

OMG the thought!!!!!!!!!

 

[sdkitty]

O M G I had a jewelry disaster yesterday! I was putting on one of my Squash Blossom necklaces as I wear them even with tees and jeans around town, or even if I stay home. Suddenly, Beads went flying everywhere!!!!! I crawled around on my hands and knees and I am pretty sure I found them all. I could not see what happened because whenI tried to look, more beads fell off. I put everything in a ziplock and ran to the jeweler who had restrung this necklace on a stronger chain than the box chains which are not as strong, (IMO) I think they are more prone to breakage from the shape of the chain after years of being bent a certain way often under some weight.

Apparently, a solder point had broken. They will of course fix this for me no charge AND I said make sure every single solder joint is solid! Redo them all if you have to!

What if it had happened out on the street? I would have just dissolved into a puddle of hysterical tears.

This happened to me once before, also in the bedroom while I was putting it on. The NA gods must be looking out for me! That's when I decided to replace all my box chains. My necklaces are all over 20 years old.

My heart was in my throat! I thought you folks here would understand my freakout!!!

Glad you didn't lose anything....I can't get over you wearing that around the house if you're not going anywhere.

 

[OrbitOrange]

I have something fun to share! Thanks to this thread, I spied this little treasure in a local antique shop. It is that Dishta look that jellyV and OrbitOrange were discussing earlier in the thread. I believe it was an earring that lost its twin and was thus “converted into a pendant

View attachment 4441806 Original earring configuration Source: brownstrading.com
View attachment 4441807 Looks like they flipped the top “flower” and embedded it into the concentric circles
View attachment 4441808 This is the back, where you can see the earring back bump.

It can easily be converted back to the earring configuration (and still be a pendant) with the little “flower” at the top..but this kind of works. What do y’all think?

Essie I think this is adorable! Did you get it? Definitely Dishta style and probably 50's. I agree that it is almost certainly an earring that was later converted into a pendant. Great find!

 

[jellyv]

Essie I think this is adorable! Did you get it? Definitely Dishta style and probably 50's. I agree that it is almost certainly an earring that was later converted into a pendant. Great find!

+1
Very sweet!

Chessmont, that sounds like a total nightmare. Glad you have all the parts to reconstitute it! Yeah, foxtail is a fine-scale braided silver chain that is used for stringing silver beads. It isn't any good for natural turquoise, though, would be too abrasive against stones.

 

[OrbitOrange]

O M G I had a jewelry disaster yesterday! I was putting on one of my Squash Blossom necklaces as I wear them even with tees and jeans around town, or even if I stay home. Suddenly, Beads went flying everywhere!!!!! I crawled around on my hands and knees and I am pretty sure I found them all. I could not see what happened because whenI tried to look, more beads fell off. I put everything in a ziplock and ran to the jeweler who had restrung this necklace on a stronger chain than the box chains which are not as strong, (IMO) I think they are more prone to breakage from the shape of the chain after years of being bent a certain way often under some weight.

Apparently, a solder point had broken. They will of course fix this for me no charge AND I said make sure every single solder joint is solid! Redo them all if you have to!

What if it had happened out on the street? I would have just dissolved into a puddle of hysterical tears.

This happened to me once before, also in the bedroom while I was putting it on. The NA gods must be looking out for me! That's when I decided to replace all my box chains. My necklaces are all over 20 years old.

My heart was in my throat! I thought you folks here would understand my freakout!!!

I'm so glad this didn't happen to you when you were out and about! I have heard of it happening before and I do worry about it. It's disturbing though that you got it restrung specifically to prevent this from happening and the chain still broke. Does the jeweler you took it to specialize in NA jewelry? If not, maybe you should take your necklaces to someone who does.

I have another recent story, but a good one - I was heading into Office Depot the other day and a woman was running up to me saying, "oh I have to see it!" I look nervously around and wonder what the hell she is talking about. Before she gets to me, she says, "I collect them!" I was wearing one of my Squash Blossoms.
So we chatted awhile and she said she thought it was (Royston? Is that the one that has a lot of brown and black in it?) It really didn't strike me as that, but I have a feeling she knew what she was talking about. She told me she has 30 Squash Blossom necklaces and 40 cuffs. O M G! Anyway it was fun chatting with her about the look of the turquoise from different mines, etc.

It's so fun that you randomly met someone IRL who truly appreciates and understands your NA jewelry. I always feel like when I am out and about in my stuff no one "gets it" and they probably don't know the difference between what I'm wearing and western inspired costume jewelry. Oh well.