Antique Vintage Sterling Silver Native Navajo Turquoise Knifewing Man 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: 1.7 grams. Main Stone: Sleeping Beauty turquoise. Color: opaque light blue hue.

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 an open "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 1960s by a talented Navajo artisan.

925 sterling silver crafted into the motif of a Knifewing, a half-man, half-eagle Zuni god associated with war and the sky. The Knifewing motif became popular in Zuni silver jewelry in the 1920s, and Navajo artisans also soon began to utilize this design.

The body of the brooch features a hand-hammered stamp design of a man with outstretched wings. The blue Sleeping Beauty turquoise stone adorns the lower center of the man. Completed with a pin stem and an open "c" clasp, allowing it to be worn on a variety of accessories, including hats, scarves, and lapels, among many others. 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.

The concept of Pawn, Old Pawn, and Dead Pawn Native American Jewelry came to be in the 1800s. When a loan wasnt repaid, the item became known as either Old Pawn or Dead Pawn. 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. Sleeping Beauty Turquoise is known throughout the world for its gorgeous solid robins egg blue hue. This Arizona mine is regarded as one the most important turquoise mines in the world, and it has a very rich history; being mined by the Anasazi people over a 1,000 years ago and being traded in ancient times between North, Central, and South American civilizations. Sleeping Beauty Turquoise was re-discovered by gold and silver miners in the early 1900s and since then, this beautifully bright blue turquoise has become iconic in the gem industry. The Sleeping Beauty Mine closed in 2012, making this highly desired turquoise hard to find.

The item "Antique Vintage Sterling Silver Native Navajo Turquoise Knifewing Man Pin Brooch" is in sale since Saturday, May 2, 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