Exquisite beauty of silver and turquoise studded jewellery draws everyone. Earth tone colours, intricately detailed designs and distinctive sense of craftsmanship are some of the many features that make handcrafted American Indian jewelry pieces one of its kind. Highly skilled and incredibly talented Native Americans are known for their artistic capabilities and crafting skills. And that is why demand for traditional Native American products has been on the rise. If you are planning to buy handcrafted tribal jewellery or any other sort of products, then having some basic knowledge about American Indian arts and crafts can help you avail the best value for your money. Moreover, it also saves you from the imitation arts and unscrupulous sellers. Below listed are some tips you may follow in order to make the right pick.
Pick a genre of jewellery. You can find a huge and varied selection of jewellery items produced by a number of Native American tribes. Zuni, Navajo, Choctaw and many other tribes are known for their artistic traditions. You may either choose a tribe or a time period. Besides selecting a genre for focusing your collection, make sure to avoid mass produced pieces with sub-standard craftsmanship and counterfeit stones. Whenever you are buying handcrafted American Indian jewelry, it is important to choose the pieces that can be attributed to a specific artist or a tribe.
According to the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, any item marketed using terms such as “Native American made” must be made by a member of a State or federally-recognized tribe or by a certified Indian artisan. So if you wish to buy authentic native american crafts, then make it a point to look for artist’s hallmark sign. Generally, the hallmark can be a stamp or engraved signature. Shopping from a reputed seller and asking for the certificate of authenticity reduces the chances of ending up with a counterfeit item.
Resource From:A Guide to Collecting American Indian Jewelry
Choctaw Nation Store | Native American apparel | Oklahoma 