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Sand Cast Silver Yei Men Necklace

In Fine Jewelry > Native American Jewelry > Show & Tell and Fine Jewelry > Necklaces > Show & Tell.
Agram.m's likes64 of 122Women's 925 Necklace - Mini Pipes & Glass BeadsGreat grannies amethyst
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    Posted 13 years ago

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    NativeJewe…
    (55 items)

    My weekly garage sale find. It appears to be an early sand cast Yei Men Navajo Necklace. It does test silver. There are no marks. It weighs 93 grams and is 27" long. It is clearly old and hand made. I started to try to polish it for the wife, but realized about half way through maybe I should have left the original patina. Just wondering if anyone can give me an approximate age and value and if in fact it is what I believe it is. Also, does polishing it effect the value? Thank you for your time.

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    Comments

    1. Knifeguy, 13 years ago
      It was likely made no earlier than the 70s, the long tubular silver beads are of that vintage. As for cleaning, wearing silver against your skin will give it a nice natural glow. However, cleaning that piece will not hurt the value. Very early pieces should not be cleaned.
    2. NativeJewelerylovers NativeJewelerylovers, 13 years ago
      Thank you for your time. Was just wondering if it was a Yei Men Necklace and also, maybe a value? Thank you again
    3. Knifeguy, 13 years ago
      Hi again Yei are not common elements in Navajo silver because they are a very sacred being in the culture and until just before the turn of the 19th/20th century it was forbidden to make any permanentimage of a Yei. The Elders said that anyone making a permanent image would go blind and die. The first three permanent images were 3 rug weavings, two of the weavers went blind and died. Yeis are used in healing ceremony and are sand paintings that take the illness out of the sick person and is then thrown to the wind (thus not a permanent image).
      The yei in your necklace are pretty crude images of the"Spirit people" sometime also called the ancestral holy ones. As for value, unfortunately late silver seems to be going for melt lately due to the high value of silver. Yours could bring $200.00 to $400.00 depending on who was wanting it. Most people want lots of turquios in a squash. Check Ebay for late squash blossoms of similar weight and see what they bring for a closer value.

      Regards

      Robin
    4. NativeJewelerylovers NativeJewelerylovers, 13 years ago
      Thank you again for your time. Have a great day, I believe this answers all my questions.
    5. NativeJewelerylovers NativeJewelerylovers, 12 years ago
      Thanks tora...
    6. NativeJewelerylovers NativeJewelerylovers, 12 years ago
      Thanks Valentino
    7. NativeJewelerylovers NativeJewelerylovers, 12 years ago
      Thanks bratjdd

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