Native Hand-crafted | Native Jewelry

The Excitement Behind the Buckle

Native American jewelry over the years has come to be recognized by beautifully crafted necklaces and rings but few know that since the 1850’s when silver smithing was introduced to the Navajo Native Americans that belt buckles were then created. The ability to become a silver smith was then introduced to other Native American tribes such as the Zuni and Hopi.

The styles of the above mentioned groups differ but they all create exquisite pieces of art that stun and a reflect the hard works the artisans place in their work. An interesting fact about the Navajo Natives use of the turquoise gem stone in their work is a reflection of their religious connection to the rock believing that it is part of the sky that has fallen to earth, by using it in their Native American jewelry they can bring together earth and sky. May we all have this strength in conviction in our own lives.

Posted by Silversmith (August 26, 2010) | add comment | Comments (0)

A Lesson in Opal Volume 3

Just as the Native Americans enjoyed the Opal so did the Romans who considered it a precious gemstone. Opal was included among the noble gems and was ranked second only to emerald by the Romans. A beautiful opal called the orphanus was set in the crown of the Holy Roman Emperor. It was described “as though pure white snow flashed and sparked with the color of bright ruddy wine, and was overcome by this radiance.” Opals are also set in the crown jewels of France. They were also often used in Native American jewelry for the natural beauty of the gemstone.

Most opal is more than 60 million years old and generally dates back to the Cretaceous period when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Most of the precious opal marketed in ancient times was obtained from occurrences in what is now Slovakia.

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Posted by Silversmith (July 28, 2010) | add comment | Comments (0)

A Lesson in Opal Volume 2

Taking proper care of your Native American jewelry can make it last longer and look better after many years of use. If your opal stone is exposed to sunlight and allowed to dry out the Opal will develop cracking. In addition to cracking, when the stone experiences a loss of water it also loses its iridescence. A simple solution to keep the water in the gem is to oil it regularly. Opal also must be protected from detergents that dry the gem. Something that must be remembered for all Opal owners is that because of the water content Opal gems are brittle.

Opal is sought after because of its unique ability to reflect and refract the different wavelengths of light. This is one of the most sought after gems to be used in Native American jewelry for the above given reasons, and the fact that the wavelengths interplay to the eyes of the beholder.

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Posted by Silversmith (July 26, 2010) | add comment | Comments (0)

A Lesson in Opal Volume 1

A common gem used in American Indian jewelery is the gemstone Opal. This stone is fundamentally colorless but finding such a specimen is rare. Impurities that naturally form in the rocks give it various body colors that range from the yellows and reds derived from iron oxides to black from manganese oxides and organic carbon. The precious forms of the opal gemstone reflect light with a play of brilliant colors across the color spectrum, red being the most valued.

The name opal given to these specific stones was derived from the Latin word opalus, which translated means seeing jewel. Another possible theory for the word opal is from the word upala, this is a Sanskrit word which translated to English simply means stone. This stone can be found in many areas around the world and has become a popular stone in American Indian jewelery. It has been incorporated in earrings, rings, and pendants.

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Posted by Silversmith (July 24, 2010) | add comment | Comments (0)

Turquoise Jewelry - The “In” Thing

Turquoise Sand Cast Sterling Silver Belt Buckle

Turquoise, is such a common name that we often don’t take into account the fact that this stone cane is the centre of many awesome pieces of jewelry and is renowned around the world for the ability to accent any outfit you may wear
Fact:
Turquoise is a greenish blue stone while the black lines that are found within it is called sard.
Turquoise by itself, as the story goes, brings the feeling of unconditional love. Turquoise is also
believed to help a person pull the negative energy out of their body which is why many people are encouraged to wear it.
But who needs encouragement to wear such beautiful jewelry? Not I !!! Some of the most beautiful jewelry is made with Turquoise. Both men and women can take advantage of this beautiful gem stone

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Posted by Silversmith (June 21, 2010) | add comment | Comments (0)

Create an Exciting New Look with Bracelets

Accessorizing can make a boring outfit a dazzling outfit. There are several ways a person may choose to accessorize their outfit. Belts, purses, shoes, hair clips, and jewelry are all common ways people choose to accessorize their outfits. During the summer season, bracelets can jazz up a sundress or a shorts and shirt outfit—my personal favorite is my ensemble that features several turquoise bracelets. There a few things you may want to consider before wearing a bracelet:

1.) Wear short sleeves or ¾ inch sleeves in order to reveal your bracelet. A long sleeved shirt or bulky sweater will hide you bracelet.
2.) If you have bigger-boned wrists, wear slim bracelets like handmade sterling silver bracelets. If you have slim wrists wear chunky bangle bracelets.
3.) If you are wearing a bracelet that draws attention, make sure that your nails are in good condition. You don’t want to draw attention to your hands if your fingers are grubby with nails coated in chipped polish.
4.) Cluster several attractive bracelets together for an eye-catching arrangement. The bracelets should be similar in color and style.

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Posted by JewelryHoarder (December 21, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

Hiawatha ((Haion-Hwa-Tha / He-Who-Makes-Rivers)-fact or legend?

In “The Song of Hiawatha”, a popular poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the character of Hiawatha is actually drawn from the writings of Henry R. Schoolcraft, who had confused the real Hiawatha with a Chippewa deity. Longfellow’s version of events and character, therefore, in any way relates to the great Iroquois reformer. Unfortunately, there are no known images of Hiawatha.
Hiawatha was a skilled statesman and charismatic orator who was instrumental in persuading the Iroquois peoples, the Senecas, Cayugas, Onondagas, Oneidas, and Mohawks, a group of Native North Americans who shared similar languages, to accept The Great Peacemaker’s vision and band together to become the Five Nations of the Iroquois confederacy. Thus the notion of the native politics emerges.
In our mind’s eye we can see Hiawatha on the banks of a river but also, perhaps, a maiden on the other bank resplendent in Native clothing and native jewelry waiting for her love on the other side.
We can all enjoy the Native Jewelry even in this modern day as the ability to work with silver and gems has been handed down from generation to generation. Some of the most gifted silversmiths are native and they are proud to share their culture with anyone who so desires.

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Posted by Silversmith (December 14, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

Good Old Native Humour

Isn’t it true that we look to the older people in any natuionality for their wisdom? This is just another awesome example of wisdom brought on through years of observing life in general. This type of Native American Tapestry is very typicalof the humor found in the native minds and homes. This also can be typical of Native artistry

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Posted by Silversmith (December 13, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY

All peoples of the world hold an intriguing history of their own, and the American Indian is certainly no exception. For many years, since the majority of the Indian side of “history” is oral and pictorial, history books written primarily by European whites provided our only glimpse into the world of Native Americans. Other media too, before the notion of “political correctness,” portrayed the American Indian in a variety of stereotypical and slanted ways. While, the reverse and perhaps “romanticization” of American Indian life of recent years hasn’t always produced a complete or unbiased look either. It has, however, opened the door to a greater interest in notable and intriguing Native American individuals. These little biographies offer a glimpse of some of those who lived among the drums and fires and experienced a world few have seen and fewer still remember.
Because the “history” of Native Americans was oral and pictorial, expertise and manufacture of Native Crafts have been handed down by word of mouth also.

: Tennis Bracelet

Such Native Crafts as Sterling Silver Belt Buckles, Sterling Silver Rings with a variety of gems, Sterling Silver Bracelets and also Native American Tapestries and Rugs and Pottery, to name just a few.

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Posted by Silversmith (November 10, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

The Birth of a Legend

The cowboy was born in 1866 with the first herd of Texas longhorns. They trailed across hundreds of miles of wild and dangerous country, filled with predators and hostile Indians, to the wide open town of Abilene, which was created by the Kansas Pacific Railroad as the western frontier railhead for shipping cattle East.

From then on the big Texas cattle drives fed the market for a beef-hungry America. Six hundred thousand cattle came up the Texas trail in 1871 in herds of about 2,000, each led by a wild, reckless and tough bunch of young men with great courage and fortitude. Huge numbers of longhorn cattle had multiplied in Texas after the Civil War as the result of few predators, few fences and plenty of grass and water. They ran wild while Texas men went off to fight for the Confederacy.

Cow-gathering was a challenge, but getting a herd all the way to the Kansas railroad paid big. Early cowboys had very little food (mostly corn meal and salted bacon), used homemade saddles and chaps, no tents or tarps, braided their own rope from horsehair, and bragged they could go any place a cow could and stand anything a horse could. A saddle blanket and a coat made up the Texas trail bed. The twelve-inch-barrel Colt was necessary equipment. Another necessary piece of equipment was a belt buckle for holding up their pants or jeans worn so well in their occupation. Strong, lightweight and wiry men who persevered and were loyal defined a new American spirit of freedom and independence. Mothers shared great pride in seeing their sons grow up to be cowboys.

Mothers still show pride when their cowboys come home sporting a Native American Belt Buckle fashioned by very loving hands

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Posted by Silversmith (November 1, 2009) | add comment | Comments (0)

Native Jewelry

Archive for the 'Native Hand-crafted' Category

The Excitement Behind the Buckle

A Lesson in Opal Volume 3

A Lesson in Opal Volume 2

A Lesson in Opal Volume 1

Turquoise Jewelry - The “In” Thing

Create an Exciting New Look with Bracelets

Hiawatha ((Haion-Hwa-Tha / He-Who-Makes-Rivers)-fact or legend?

Good Old Native Humour

NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY

The Birth of a Legend

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