Similarly, you need to know if the stones used are genuine. Did you buy a necklace because the stones were drilled, ground and polished by hand by a Native American artist? Then get that in writing, along with the artist's name. Did you buy it because it is Hopi handmade? Then get it in writing. Your best protection is to buy from a reliable source and get a guarantee in writing. Stone and shell beads are also imported and restrung (often by Native Americans), resulting in a product referred to as "stringers." Unfortunately, these methods are often copied, and the resulting products are imported from other countries. There are a number of ways to make American Indian jewelry. You can do this best by purchasing a good introductory book. Start by familiarizing yourself with the basic styles, focusing on the style that appeals most to you. Jewelry, with all its wonderful variety, can be visually overwhelming.
Ask for documentationĪ woman from the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation organizes her jewelry for sale during a Victory Days celebration. There is nothing wrong with greenware or kiln-fired pieces, but that information should be disclosed and the price should reflect it.
Greenware pottery will have a telltale "kick-up," or base similar to the coffee cups you have at home, and you may be able to make out the fine vertical seam where the mold separated. Is it fired out-of-doors or in a kiln? Is it greenware (from a mold) or hand-coiled? They're followed by the Navajo-with their polished and sometimes decorated brown ware (covered with piñon pitch, not glazed)-then, the painted white-and-brown ware from the Tohono O'odham, and, more rarely still, black-on-brown pottery from the Maricopa and Pima tribes.Įven if buying work directly from the artist, ask how it's made. In Arizona, the Hopi are the most prolific. Study up, then look for cluesĮach tribe has its own pottery tradition. Once widespread, basket weaving today is largely limited to the Hopi and Tohono O'odham, with a smaller number of weavers among the Apache, Navajo and Paiute tribes. More importantly, each imitation basket that sells means a lost sale for one of the few American Indians who still weave them. They may be colorful, inexpensive decor items, but they are not a true memento of any Southwestern Indian tribe. If the sign over those colorful, surprisingly affordable baskets proclaims "Village Made," you have to ask yourself (and the salesclerk) what village? It may turn out to be a village in another country where baskets are handwoven copying American Indian designs. Question the originsīut how do you determine authenticity if the tag lacks the artist's or tribe's name? First, use your common sense. Every living Navajo weaver who has spent untold hours before her loom weaving, or teaching her child to weave, will thank you. Misrepresenting goods as Indian-handmade is a federal offense so more reliable shops will not do so. The rug in that stack of colorful weavings, arranged and priced by size, may well have a little tag in the corner stating it was woven in Mexico. The first thing to do is look for a label. It's not uncommon to buy goods like jewelry, pottery, rugs or baskets directly from an artist or specialized retailer.īut how can you tell if what you're buying is truly an authentic American Indian item? Here are some tips to ensure what you're buying is real.
The arts and crafts created by the American Indian, or Native American, tribes living in Arizona have drawn shoppers, tourists and collectors alike for well over a century.
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