Posted 7 years ago
shellyc2267
(4 items)
I found this beautiful squash blossom necklace at a Goodwill outlet store. Now, for those of you who don't know what that is, allow me to explain. This is where items get sent when they don't sell at the Goodwill retail stores. Here, most items are sold by the pound. This particular item was sold to me for $1.12. The workers roll out these huge bins and when the workers say so, you begin digging for the hidden treasures. This was my treasure that day.
I have done some research but am looking for solid information on this necklace.
THIS sat in the store and was passed by??? Yeesh....I am in The Netherlands and we have no such thing as Goodwill or the outlets. Let me know when it's convenient to pick me up at the airport! :-))))))))
I know, right? It was a nondescript white rectangular box with 2 pairs of beautiful turqoise earrings! Too bad you have no goodwill, especially the outlet! We are going tomorrow and will be there ALL day! :-)
What a great treasure you have scored. You seem to know that its a squash blossom necklace and you are right. It says Stirling as well. It could very easily be a old pawn piece made to trade or sell by the Navajo or other New Mexico tribes. The Indians. Not sure which tribe. The Turquoise is likely from Arizona. I could go on and on but I dont think anyone can really pinpoint the exact artisan or date. Iit is antique or vintage for sure. Does it have any initials anywhere. All this is just a guess.
Holding my tongue on a certain reference.....and back to item:
This type of necklace was first made by the Navajo Nation and was later also made by the Zuni Nation. And as a people, we are all called "Native Americans". History says that this style is heavily influenced by the arrival of the Europeans. The "Squash Blossom" bead was named by the Navajo, but their meaning was "Bead that spreads out." The inverted horseshoe shape at the bottom is called the "Naja".
This is a very nice and delicate necklace, once it is cleaned it will be beautiful. Make sure the cleaning is done right, to take care of the Turquoise stones. I could not say which tribe made this, the Navajo or the Zuni but it is certainly old judging from the black tarnish on the Sterling Silver. I would date it to around the 1950's or maybe a bit older.
Make sure to add this to "Native American Antiques" here on Collectors Weekly.
Nice find! If the Goodwill store in my area did those "treasure hunts"...people would get hurt LOL
And I also want to say that the "tongue holding" is not directed at the person who listed this beautiful necklace.. :)
Definitely Navajo according to the stones (natural shape with silver adapted to the stone), and the “Navajo beads” used for the necklace. A GREAT find. Congrats!