One-of-a-Kind Pre-50's Navajo Style Old Pawn Hachita Genuine Turquoise Sterling Silver Squash Blossom Necklace

Turquoise and Sterling Silver can't go wrong. This Squash Blossom Necklace is a gorgeous work of art. This one is full of natural character with hand-cut stones of genuine Turquoise that appears to be from the Hachita mine. The Turquoise stones have been set in the brilliance of gleaming Sterling Silver. Sterling Silver designs give this one a beautiful antique gleam. This sensational necklace is 32" long and the naja is 4-1/4" long. In keeping with the tradition of artists of those times, many necklaces are unsigned. However, the item is hand-made, including the many bench beads. Each bench bead is created from scratch by knocking out a circle of Sterling Silver, doming it, drilling a hole through it and soldering it to a second half. You will be receiving the item in the pictures below.

This item is pre-50's Navajo-style Old Pawn jewelry made out of heavy gauge Sterling Silver and genuine American Turquoise, such as Kingman, Battle Mountain, Hachita or Mojave. This Turquoise is from Richard's collection and has been out of the mine for thirty years, which makes it difficult to 100% accurately identify. This jewelry appears a hundred years old and was created based on early twentieth century pieces displayed in old magazines such as Arizona Highways.

OLD PAWN

Throughout our Indian lands the trading posts serve also as pawn shops with the trader usually involved in an earthy form of banking business - part of the process known as pawning. Most reservation Indians convert their cash into silver and turquoise jewelry and woven articles made from their native wool. When in need of money or commodities their assets are used as securities for loans. At times the trading post vault is the safest place in which to keep valuables. In this case the Indian pawns the items for a minimum loan and is happy to pay the interest rate in return for the security of his goods. If articles are not redeemed after the contractual length of time, they become "dead pawn" and may be sold by the trader for whatever the market will allow.