Don’t be fooled by some sellers who are selling reproductions and passing them off as Native American Indian made in the Native American Category. These sellers are offering items made in the Philippines, and other countries, that are not truly Native American Indian made. These “knock-offs” are only worth a small fraction of the value of authentic Native American Indian made items.  Therefore, these sellers are offering items that do not have the same Quality or Value as authentic Native American Indian made items and designs. These EBay sellers who are offering “knock-offs” are fraudulently profiting at the expense of our truly talented Native American Indian artisans, who deserve your patronage and acknowledgement of their art, culture and heritage.
 
How to Buy Genuine American Indian Arts & Crafts
Produced in cooperation with the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior

Whether you're drawn to the beauty of turquoise and silver jewelry or the earth tone colors of Indian pottery, having some knowledge about American Indian arts and crafts can help you get the most for your money. Be aware that some unscrupulous retailers want to take your money in exchange for imitation American Indian arts and crafts.

Getting What You Pay For

Under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, any item produced after 1935 that is marketed using terms such as "Indian," "Native American" or "Alaska Native" must be made by a member of a State or federally-recognized tribe or a certified Indian artisan.A certified Indian artisan is an individual who is certified by the governing body of an Indian tribe as a non-member Indian artisan.

Under the Act, all Indian arts and crafts products must be marketed truthfully. For example, selling products using a sign claiming "Indian Jewelry - Direct from the Reservation to You" is a violation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act if the jewelry was produced by someone other than a member of an Indian tribe or a certified non-member Indian artisan. Advertising products as "Navajo Jewelry" violates the Act if the products were produced by someone who is not a member of the Navajo tribe or certified as a non-member Indian artisan of the Navajo tribe. And qualifiers such as "ancestry," "descent" and "heritage" used in connection with the terms "Indian," "Native American" or with the name of a particular Indian tribe - say, "Native American heritage" or "Cherokee descent" - do not mean that the person is a member of an Indian tribe. These terms mean that the person is of descent, heritage or ancestry of the tribe, and are acceptable only if they are used truthfully.

Buying Tips

American Indian arts and crafts are sold through many outlets, including tourist stores, gift shops and art galleries. Here are some tips to help you shop wisely:

Buy from an established dealer who will give you a written guarantee or written verification of authenticity.
Ask if your item comes with a certification tag. While not all authentic Indian arts and crafts carry this tag, those that do are certified by the Department of the Interior (DOI) to be genuine.
Get a receipt that includes all the vital information about the value of your purchase, including any verbal representations. For example, if the salesperson told you that the piece of jewelry you're buying is sterling silver and natural turquoise and was handmade by an American Indian artisan, insist that this information appear on your receipt.
Before buying Indian arts and crafts at powwows, annual fairs, juried competitions, and other events, check the event requirements for information about the authenticity of the products being offered for sale. Many events list their requirements in newspaper ads, promotional flyers and printed programs. If the event organizers make no statement about the authenticity of Indian arts and crafts being offered for sale, get written verification of authenticity for any item you purchase that claims to be authentic.

Be aware that not all Indian-made items are handmade.

There are three general methods of production, all of which are used to make legitimate American Indian arts and crafts:
handmade - an individual has control over the design and quality of
the craftsmanship of each piece; assembly line or mass-produced - a number of individuals who may be American Indians each do only a small part of the work on each piece, in some cases assembling components produced elsewhere; and machine made - individuals do little, if any, handwork.
Identifying Authentic American Indian Jewelry

It's not always easy to spot a counterfeit item but price, materials, appearance, and the seller's guarantee of authenticity may help.

Price - Although Indians make and sell inexpensive souvenir-type items, authentic high-quality Indian jewelry can be expensive.

Type of materials - Most Indian artisans use sterling silver complemented with opaque stones, such as coral, onyx, shell, turquoise, lapis lazuli, or carnelian. Appearance - Well-crafted jewelry has no wavering lines or lopsided designs. If a design  is stamped into silver - the most common metal used - the image should be clear. Images on imitations often are blurred. High-quality pieces use stones that are well-cut and uniform in size, and fit snugly into their settings. The stones on imitations may be poorly cut, leaving a large amount of metal-colored glue visible between the stone and the metal. Look for the artist's "hallmark" stamped on the jewelry. Many Indian artists use a hallmark - a symbol or signature - to identify their work.

Guarantee of authenticity - A reputable dealer will give you a written guarantee.

Shopping for American Indian Jewelry

Whether you're buying Indian jewelry for yourself or someone special, take some time to learn the terms used in its production. Keep in mind that the value of any piece depends not only on the materials used, but also on the quality of craftsmanship and the harmony of the design.