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"Where in the World Are Ugly Otter's Customers?" |
"Native American Jewelry, Turquoise Jewelry"We are suppliers of some of the finest, least expensive, Native American Jewelry and Turquoise Jewelry to be found. We have decades of experience in scouting for fine Sterling Silver Southwestern Indian Jewelry and we offer it to you with pride. Our prices are very low considering these products are high quality - when we say something is "Sterling Silver", "Real Turquoise", or "Native American Made", that's exactly what we mean!! And, everything is priced, here, now, for you to compare! |
Furnishing Catalogs &
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Buying jewelry from individuals.
Appraising Indian
Jewelry. |
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Old Pawn Indian Turquoise Jewelry
The items seen on our Old Pawn web pages would have a long, probably sad, story to tell if they had the ability to tell us their history. In times past, the people of this area made, wore, and treasured their turquoise jewelry as not only a thing of adornment, a protector of good health, but also as portable wealth. They still do so - the lucky ones. Not having ready access to banks, or cash money, this turquoise jewelry would often serve as the family "reserve" or "emergency" fund. Also, the turquoise is thought of as a healing and protecting agent.
In times of need, this turquoise jewelry could be easily used as
security with an authorized trader (pawned) for cash to meet the current
crisis. Then, when the crops came in, or the sheep were shorn - or
whatever - the turquoise jewelry could be redeemed and take its place
back in the family.
Unfortunately, on occasion this turquoise jewelry would not be redeemed
as planned. The lender would keep it for the agreed amount of time,
and if the loan were not paid off by the agreed date, the Pawn Shop, or Trader,
would be authorized to sell the turquoise jewelry.
And, often, when the elders of the family die, the items are pawned, and the money is divided up within the family. Us other Americans do basically the same thing, except we call it "Probate" and a large part may go to some lawyer somewhere.
That's where we enter the picture. We scour these pawn shops on
and near the Reservations to find these items. From our Trading Post
to Window Rock (on the Navajo Reservation), to Zuni Pueblo (on the Zuni
Reservation), and back home, is a 827 mile round trip. It's not an
easy thing. The miles are over twisty mountian roads, or desolate
deserts in this part of the world. At the same time, we
feel deeply for those who have lost their treasures.
There is no doubt that many of the items shown here have been the pride of
some family in years gone past. It has been worn in ceremonials, family
gatherings, in times of joy, and in times of sorrow. Some has been
sold, stolen, pawned, loved, inherited, lost, found, given, cherished,
gambled for, gambled with, and taken away. Whatever the reason, it
has left the family where it was loved and treasured. We only hope
that whoever buys it from these web pages can appreciate its worth, not only
for what it is, but for what it represents. And, who knows? Maybe
- just maybe - the turquoise jewelry survived and the family did
not. What a story it could tell . . . . . . . .
When we find this turquoise jewelry, and buy it, we can't help but think about its history. The mystery surrounding it. These are not "tourist trap items", nor cheap imports. Many pieces do not even have the makers name inside it. They knew who made it, and it was made to be worn by them, or their friends, or relatives. These were part of someone's life.
Somehow, we handle it a little more carefully. We don't polish it - we don't remove the signs of wear - the signs of use. It really meant something, to someone. We hope that it means something special to that someone who finally ends up with it. Maybe that someone is you - then - again - maybe - who knows. . . . . . . .
New Native American Jewelry
We do, of course, specialize in New Native American Indian Jewelry. This is the main part of our business. The Ugly Otter and his wife, travel many miles a year hunting and selecting this jewelry. We are not complaining - we enjoy the trip, enjoy dealing with our friends there, enjoy selecting the quality jewelry that we strive to present on our web pages. Do you want to see photos of a typical trip to the Navajo and Zuni Reservations where we go to get these items? If so press here!
We buy this new jewelry directly from the artist themselves in many cases. However, some of the artists are scattered throughout the Reservations and it is almost impossible to find them, especially on short notice. The Navajo Nation covers a territory larger than the combined states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is the largest reservation-based Indian nation within the United States, both in land area and population. More than 200,000 Navajos live on the 24,000 square miles of the Navajo Nation. The Navajos' name for themselves is Diné, meaning "the people." The Navajo Nation comprises approximately 16 million acres, mostly in northeastern Arizona, but including portions of northwestern New Mexico and southeastern Utah. It is a land of vast spaces and only a few all-weather roads. Eighty-eight percent of the reservation is without telephone service and many areas do not have electricity.
So, bordering the Reservations are authorized traders to whom these artists take their products. There, they are purchased from the artists, and there, we go when we are in the vicinity, and in turn, purchase these items on a wholesale basis.
Most of the Navajo and Zuni jewelry we specialize in is made by family enterprises. The older generations are the teachers of the younger people. Some member of the family does the rough silver work. Another member may set the stones. Yet another may do the final polishing and buffing of the piece. In many cases, it is up to the wife or mother to do the actual trading.
Many families have a set of designs that they have developed over the years, and they tend to produce jewelry of that same pattern over and over again. No two pieces will be alike, but the general lay-out may be recognized as being made by a particular family. Some individual artists will make designs of their own, but even these can generally be recognized by those who study Indian jewelry.
We, here at the Ugly Otter Trading Post, do not claim to be experts in this type of jewelry. (Or any other type for that matter) However, we have dealt in Native American jewelry of the Southwest for many years and can, on occasion, identify the artist by looking closely at the finished product.
One thing we found very early in our trading is that 99.9% of the Native Americans we deal with are honest. If they say something is sterling silver, then it is. If they say the turquoise is from a particular mine, then it is. If they can get the best of you in a trade, they will do so - but they will not cheat. Some of them are very sharp salespersons!
Third World knock-offs. Yes, we find these, too. Gotta be careful, as a few wholesalers do specialize in these fake Indian Jewelry items, but we pretty well know who they are. Yep, they, too, are on the web, some of them. They can take care of their business, and we'll take care of ours. The "high road" is always the best in the long run.
This Third World stuff can usually be recognized for what it is with careful attention to detail. We prefer to buy from trusted sources, therefore we don't buy from individuals who might be trying to sell something they purchased while on trips, or inherited, or were given. Many times they believe they are in posession of something very valuable while the truth is, it may be nearly worthless! We personally know of one gentleman who purchased a "turquoise" bead necklace only to find out much later that what he had was actually sheep droppings painted with glossy turquoise colored paint! He was vexed, to say the least. We still torment him some about this purchase.
A note of caution! We know of no person who can look at a piece of jewelry and say for a fact who made it, unless that person either witnessed it being made, or made it themselves. A bracelet, for example, cannot talk. A name engraved on it cannot talk. A "certificate" attached to it cannot talk. (Blank certificates, by the way, are for sale in jewelry supply shops - just fill them out, and there you have a "Certificate of Authenticity". We don't believe in using these.) Even though we have many, many years experience in buying and selling the type of jewelry seen on these pages, we do not, and can not, claim to know for an absolute fact who, how, or when it was made. Accordingly, we may indicate "Navajo", "Santo Domingo", "Hopi", "Zuni", or other such descriptions which means it is our belief that the piece being shown represents the style of a particular tribe as we know it. It does not mean that we are saying for a fact that it was made by any particular tribe. We are traders and do not claim mystic powers.
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E-mail: uglyottermail@aol.com Phone 775 753 5396FAX 775 753 4093
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Our (Your) GuaranteeOur "NO QUIBBLE GUARANTEE" protects you. No hassles, guilt trips, silly questionnaires, and absolutely no BS! If you do not like any merchandise purchased from us, for any reason, return it, undamaged, within 20 days, for a full refund (this is a refund, not a "Store Credit") of your purchase price NO QUESTIONS ASKED - YOU ARE THE FINAL JUDGE. (see our "Terms & Conditions" page for more details)
 
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"Granite Mountain", near Prescott, AZ, where they still run
wild!
oil on masonite, by self-taught Navajo, Randlett "Randy" Keedah,
Sr., of Tucson, AZ.
"The bubbling brook would lose its song
if you removed the rocks."
Turquoise Jewelry, Silver Necklaces, Kokopellis, Sterling Silver Necklaces,
Turquoise Bracelets, Bear Claw Jewelry, Southwestern Crafts, American
Indian Bracelets, Navajo Bracelets, and Indian Crafts and others are all
on this web site, just click on correct page in the index above to see them.
Click here for our "Links" page