Antique Vintage Sterling Silver Native Navajo Turquoise Roadrunner Pin Brooch

  
We have similar Navajo and Turquoise items, which would pair nicely with this piece, for sale this week. Listing Description by: Angela A. Age Circa: Antique Native Navajo C. Markings: Unmarked, tested, and guaranteed. Country of Origin: United States - Navajo Nation. Gram Weight: 7.1 grams. Color: opaque bright sky-blue hue with a light golden brown matrix. Stone Treatment: The stone(s) appear to be untreated, but we are not certified gemologists. Stone(s) have been tested and guaranteed using a professional Presidium Duo refractive, heat, and hardness tester. Stone Cuts: Carved and polished cabochon. Pin/Brooch Style: Brooch, lapel pin, hat pin, scarf pin, tie pin. Closure Type: Pin stem with a locking "c" clasp. Convertible to Necklace Pendant: If desired, your local jeweler could add a bale to this piece so it could be worn as a pendant.

Handmade during the 1950s by a talented Navajo artisan. 925 sterling silver crafted into the motif of a roadrunner. One bright sky-blue Kingman turquoise stone rests in a bezel setting, serving as the eye of the roadrunner. The lovely blue hue of the stone provides a lovely contrast with the sterling silver. The body of the brooch features beautiful hand-stamped geometric designs on the tail and head of the bird.

Completed with a pin stem and a locking "c" clasp, allowing it to be worn on a variety of accessories, including hats, scarves, and lapels, among many others. This brooch contains some tarnish and also has a small area of grime that could be cleaned. The price has been reduced to reflect this. This listing is for the item only.

This beautiful piece was made by a very talented Native American silversmith. It features handcrafted silversmith work throughout.

Antique Native American jewelry is very rare to find. This is due to these pieces being made for reservation and personal use before the tourist trade became popular. Very few pieces were made and even less survived to today. The Navajo Nation sits on 27,000 square miles within the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.

The Navajo have a rich history and culture and have become known for creating some of the finest sterling silver and turquoise jewelry, incorporating their own traditional motifs with silversmithing. The squash blossom necklace is perhaps one of the most famous Navajo styles produced, along with turquoise inlay rings.

Turquoise is an important stone in Navajo culture; symbolizing happiness, good fortune, and good health. The first Navajo silversmith, Atsidi Sani, was taught around 1865 by a Mexican silversmith.

Atsidi Sani in turn taught his four sons, who then started teaching other Navajo artisans. In the beginning, Navajo artisans created sterling silver jewelry for themselves and others in the Navajo Nation. Turquoise is found all over the world and has been a popular semi-precious stone used in jewelry and art for thousands of years by many different cultures; from prehistoric times to the present.

Turquoise comes in many beautiful color variations; from the popular bright solid sky-blue hues to dark blue hues with dark spiderwebbing throughout, as well as aqua, teal, and many green varieties, and even some rare white with dark spiderwebbing. Kingman Turquoise comes from one of the largest turquoise mines in North America, out of Kingman, Arizona. This mine was discovered by prehistoric Native Americans over a 1000 years ago and is one of the oldest operating turquoise mines in America; even being traded with the Maya. It is highly prized for its black iron pyrite matrix and beautiful rich sky-blue color and has become an industry standard. The mine produces green turquoise as well, which is also very popular.

The item "Antique Vintage Sterling Silver Native Navajo Turquoise Roadrunner Pin Brooch" is in sale since Saturday, May 9, 2020. This item is in the category "Jewelry & Watches\Ethnic, Regional & Tribal\Native American\Pins, Brooches". The seller is "abeautifultimeco" and is located in Fort Collins, Colorado. This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Country of Origin: United States - Navajo Nation
• Modified Item: No
• Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
• Metal Purity: .925
• Main Stone: Turquoise
• Metal: Sterling Silver
• Jewelry Type: Pins
• Tribal Affiliation: Navajo