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Experts of Native American jewelry are quite familiar with the varying techniques and styles used in creating the southwestern treasures. The Navajo tribe was the first to learn silversmithing from the Spaniards and they developed the first identifiable style that’s now associated with the vintage Indian American native jewellery of the southwest. From then, unique jewellery creation techniques and styles have emerged from the Hopi, Santa Domingo, and Zuni tribes, providing an expansive collection of masterfully executed and beautiful jewelry. The varying techniques and styles of creation include;

1. Stamping

This is a Silversmithingterm that’s used in describing the process whereby a design is ‘stamped’ onto a silver piece; during the process, the tool remains stationary, dissimilar to chasing, in which the tool keeps moving all through the process. Majority of artists that undertake this utilize their own particular stamp, thus making the work of every artist individually unique. The Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi use this technique.

2. Sandcasting

This is a jewellery-making technique in which metal, sterling silver in this instance, is heated into liquid form and then poured into molds that have been carved out from hard sandstone. The molds are bound together with wet buckskin which, shrinks when it dries, thus forming a very tight binding round the mold. After being poured and cooling, the piece is then sanded down to eliminate irregularities and burrs. It eventually gets polished up to a lustre that is marketable. This technique is used to create lots of varying Native American necklaces.

3. Overlay

This is a term that’s used to describe the process that Hopi jewelry makers use in most of their jewelry, by many individuals. The process comprises two to three separate silver sheets which are soldered together and then finished to produce what is typically an apparent black inset image into a silver surrounding that is quite polished. Normally, the images are of clan symbols which are represented by varying katsinas, animals, or other varying symbols that are important to the traditions of Hopi Indians. Like stamped pieces of jewelry, makers of Hopi jewelry utilize their own specialized tools that give every jeweler’s piece an individualized and unique appearance.

4. Inlay

This technique and style comprise of numerous stones that are usually inlaid in a specific design or pattern. Also, the stones might be in a bowlike design that is commonly called ‘channel inlay’ or lined up. Most commonly, designs that are inlaid are associated with the Zuni tribe.

5. Fetish necklaces

Original Zuni fetish necklaces are quite intricate and are also made up of several hand-carved fetishes of a wide range of different animals, usually from a wide myriad of stones. Sometimes, you might even find fetish bracelets, but the most popular and most prevalent items that you will find are necklaces.

The foremost suppliers offer a truly wide collection of different vintage Native American jewelry which represents all of the varying techniques and styles that have been discussed in this article. All you need do is pick your favorite technique and style out from the collection of these suppliers online. If you are in doubt as to what will suit you the most, then you can contact them for advice and recommendations.