Silver item. Native American?

jwp1964 · Mar 10, 2019

Found what l believe to be a Native American silver piece. VDI #s good, heavy, sounds like silver when dropped. Has look and feel. No markings. 99% sure it is silver but no idea what it is. No indication it was a pendant. No attachment or any piece that looks like a pin or chain was attached. Thoughts please.

From side looks like two different pieces were layered together.

Thanks.

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rustyk1 · Mar 10, 2019

I have no idea what that is but I would say it is Native due to the Thunderbird motif. I would think that it is a trial piece or practice piece just because of the way that nothing lines up. The two arcs are off center even to each other and the arcs under the bird with the dot are off center as well. It also could be a first piece.

joe dert · Mar 10, 2019

Blah blah blah..made by perhaps a native American but not at all old..it's a poor example of commerce..sold to white tourists

jwp1964 · Mar 10, 2019

rustyk1 said:
I have no idea what that is but I would say it is Native due to the Thunderbird motif. I would think that it is a trial piece or practice piece just because of the way that nothing lines up. The two arcs are off center even to each other and the arcs under the bird with the dot are off center as well. It also could be a first piece.

Thanks for you insight.

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Silversmith45 · Mar 11, 2019

It could have been made in an art class at school. The design was cut out of the top layer and the soldered to the bottom layer.

jwp1964 · Mar 11, 2019

Silversmith45 said:
It could have been made in an art class at school. The design was cut out of the top layer and the soldered to the bottom layer.

Well, Silversmith I’ll go with your opinion on a silver piece! [emoji106][emoji23][emoji23]

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Mud-puppy · Mar 11, 2019

JWP! I think its silver and I think its very cool! Somebody was doing a jewelry attempt early in their career...prob in the 60's/70's..maybe ran a small piece of silver through a hand crank sheet metal tube rolling press or something similar... :?:

Anyway, its an unusual find!

longbow62 · Mar 11, 2019

It's kind of funny that American silversmiths did make items for trading with Native Americans. Some I believe have the actual makers mark. Now like someone mentioned it's the other way around where Native Americans make and trade silver with tourist for cash.

jwp1964 · Mar 11, 2019

Mud-puppy said:
JWP! I think its silver and I think its very cool! Somebody was doing a jewelry attempt early in their career...prob in the 60's/70's..maybe ran a small piece of silver through a hand crank sheet metal tube rolling press or something similar... Anyway, its an unusual find!

longbow62 said:
It's kind of funny that American silversmiths did make items for trading with Native Americans. Some I believe have the actual makers mark. Now like someone mentioned it's the other way around where Native Americans make and trade silver with tourist for cash.

Thanks for the input y’all.

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Foragist · Mar 13, 2019

Scrap silver! Native American "motif". Looks like there may be some turquoise chips still in there? I would guess it was inlaid with chips at one time. If it ever was any type of jewelry, it might have had a frame that held it/connected it. The frame was likely also poorly made, and that's why it fell apart, got lost and further damaged, and you found it.

jwp1964 · Mar 13, 2019

Foragist said:
Scrap silver! Native American "motif". Looks like there may be some turquoise chips still in there? I would guess it was inlaid with chips at one time. If it ever was any type of jewelry, it might have had a frame that held it/connected it. The frame was likely also poorly made, and that's why it fell apart, got lost and further damaged, and you found it.

Sounds legit. The head of the bird definitely has some king of remaining inlay. Thanks.

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cellrdwellr · Mar 13, 2019

joe dert said:
Blah blah blah..made by perhaps a native American but not at all old..it's a poor example of commerce..sold to white tourists

Why so blah? :lol:

nice finds JWP, to me it looks like it was a game piece. A small silver "spin the bottle" type thing. Just a thought? Congrats!

joe dert · Mar 14, 2019

cellrdwellr said:
Why so blah? nice finds JWP, to me it looks like it was a game piece. A small silver "spin the bottle" type thing. Just a thought? Congrats!

That was just me making fun of myself.. I tend to write too much sometimes and make simple things complicated...so I wrote blah blah blah..cuz it's shorter than some longwinded speculations.. I wasn't trying to belittle the find.. I would be happy to have found it

Silversmith45 · Mar 14, 2019

Foragist said:
Scrap silver! Native American "motif". Looks like there may be some turquoise chips still in there? I would guess it was inlaid with chips at one time. If it ever was any type of jewelry, it might have had a frame that held it/connected it. The frame was likely also poorly made, and that's why it fell apart, got lost and further damaged, and you found it.

I have repaired rings and pendants with that sort of missing inlay. Simply take scrap turquoise of the same color and crush it into tiny pieces and spread into the missing area. Soak it with super glue and sand it smooth when it dries. It can be repolished if necessary.

jwp1964 · Mar 14, 2019

Silversmith45 said:
I have repaired rings and pendants with that sort of missing inlay. Simply take scrap turquoise of the same color and crush it into tiny pieces and spread into the missing area. Soak it with super glue and sand itt smooth when it dries. It can be repolished if necessary.

Thanks. I’ll have to give that a try

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Silver item. Native American?

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