Indian or Native American Jewelry on eBay

After decades in obscurity, Native American jewelry, especially from the American Southwest, is in style again, and thousands are marketing it and shopping for it on eBay. If you've come to eBay to shop for Native American jewelry, you'l find thousands of offerings -- some genuine, some not-so-genuing. This document will give you some tips to enhance your chances of success.

If you're shopping for Native American jewelry, eBay is safer than many other online venues because they have regulations against misrepresentation and they attempt to enforce them. In addition to patroling the jewelry listings on the site,  they encourage both buyers and sellers to report listings they believe to be fraudulent.

Learn what's available 

Spend a few days browsing to see what sorts of items are available and what kinds of prices they bring. It's also a good idea to check other internet dealers in this type of jewelry, including those who specialize in imported "southwestern style" jewelry and/or Native American jewelry made in factories. There are, unfortunately, some individuals who will acquire this jewelry cheaply and then attempt to market it on eBay as "the real thing.

Learn about the tribes who produce the jewelry 

Most, if not all, of the popular styles of Native American jewelry originated in the American Southwest. Learn about the styles and characteristics of jewelry produced by the various tribes in this area. For example:

The Navajo -- The Navajo were the first silversmiths in the American Southwest and produce the largest and flashiest jewelry with lots of gem stones and elaborate silver work. They are the most copied by non-native jewelry producers. As well, there are a number of businesses in the southwest who employ Navajo to mass produce "Indian" jewelry. The Navajo developed the chip inlay process, which utilizes left-over chips of turquoise, red agate and coral, mixed with resin and set into an overlay design. Most chip inlay jewelry has a "water bird" (NOT "peyote bird") theme. The Navajo also do fetish carving and sell fetish necklaces.

The Hopi -- The Hopi tend to produce stylized work using the "overlay" process where one sheet of silver with "cut out" designs is laid over a plain sheet of identical design and shape. The recessed area is then blackened.

The Zuni -- The Zuni are known for several styles of craftsmanship. The most common is stone and shell inlay, in which shells are individually cut and set to fit closely together in specific patterns. The Zuni are also known for needlepoint and petit point gem work, and for their carvings of animals and birds called "fetishes". These are available either individually or in strings of carvings called "fetish necklaces".

Santo Domingo Pueblo -- According to material at the American Museum of Natural History Web site, Santo Domingo is One of the largest, most populous and most prosperous of the Rio Grande Pueblos and is best known for maintaining the Pueblo traditions Much Santo Domingo jewelry is similar to ancestral Pueblo or Anasazi jewelry discovered by archaeologists. Santo Domingo is also the leading domestic producer of the tiny handmade beads known as heishi, which it often markets to other tribes. (These are also mass produced in Asia.) Many Santo Domingo artists also do inlay work on shell bases. 

To learn more about the styles of jewelry made by the southwestern tribes, do some Internet searches using terms like "Navajo Jewelry" or "Zuni Necklace". Notice how the results of your searches change, depending on your use of key words. It's also a good idea to do this type of search on eBay to see what's currently evailable and at what price.

Evaluating a listing

Here are some things to check befor making a decision to bid on a listed item:

Seller's Feedback: Check the seller's positive and negative feedback. As well, it's important to check a seller's feedback given. Sometimes the feedback given can be more telling than the feedback received.

Read the listing title and the listing carefully: Watch for indications that imply that the jewelry was not made in the USA. Under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, it is illegal to sell jewelry as "Indian jewelry" when it is not. Examine the photos carefully for signs that the item is damaged, then ask the seller if there is any damage. This is especially important if the photos are dark or have been altered for "artistic" effect. The fact that you asked could protect you later. Ask the seller about the origin of the piece, and look carefully at the description for clues about the piece's origin.

Calculate the TOTAL cost of each item:

Shipping - Check the shipping charges BEFORE you bid. Although it is against eBay rules, some sellers try to make their money on shipping charges so that they can avoid paying eBay fees.

Insurance - If insurance is available find out the cost. BEWARE of dealers who claim that "they are not responsible" for uninsured items lost. Dealers ARE responsible for safe delivery of an item to a buyer. Unless you pay through PayPal, however, it can be hard to get compensation from a dealer for items not received.

Warning signs applying to Indian or Native American jewelry

The stamp "SS" on the back of the item: In recent years, some manufacturers of imitation Indian jewelry, have developed the practice of stamping their pieces "SS." This has been interpreted by many buyers (and some sellers) to mean that the item is composed of sterling silver. Usually it is not.

Alpacca Silver, German Silver, Mexican Silver, etc: Some sellers imply that these terms indicate that a silver-colored item has silver content. It does not. These are all terms for compounds of "nickel silver" (nickel and/or copper and/or zinc) type alloys that have no silver content at all.

"Artistic" photos: Some dealers use the artistic effects available in Photoshop and other graphic programs to cover flaws in their jewelry.

Size misrepresentation: Make sure that you get the actual dimensions of each piece from the seller. Some sellers will use close-up or wide-angle photography to make a piece look bigger than it actually is.

Plastic "turquoise": Some turquoise sold as genuine is simply colored plastic. In most cases, you can discern this imitation by just looking at the pictures. Plastic turquoise just does not look like turquoise. If you buy a piece that you think is made of this material, a hot needle pressed in an unobtrusive spot will cause the plastic to melt. (Some will even catch on fire.) This gives you the proof that you will need to apply for a refund.

"White Buffalo turquoise": Most stones labeled as "White Buffalo turquoise" are actually howlite. I've never seen a piece of White Buffalo turquoise and do not think it exists.

Question marks (?) in Title or Description: Question marks are often used by unscrupulous sellers to imply that an item has characteristics it does not actually have. Here are some examples: Navajo? Zuni? Genuine? Antique? Sterling?

Bidding & buying

When you feel ready, make a few small purchases. Here are some suggestions for beginning shoppers:

1. Decide in advance what you are willing to pay for each item you bid on, and do not exceed it.

2. When you win an item, pay promptly.

3. As soon as you receive the item, whether or not it is satisfactory, contact the seller to say that it has arrived.

4. If the purchase is satisfactory, give the seller positive feedback. This will encourage him/her to do the same for you. The more positive feedback you have, the better your experience on eBay will be.

Other guides to come

This has been the first guide in a series that will eventually include such topics as "Gemstones in Native American Jewelry," "Shopping for Fetish Jewelry", "A Beginner's Guide to Spotting Fakes," "Recommended Reference Books on Native American Jewelry" and "Types of 'Turquoise' in Native American Jewelry." It is still being updated on a regular basis. Also, please check my "Me" page for information about turquoise and fetish symbolism.