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A superb and stunning historic “Navajo Pearls” style Navajo silver bead necklace, c. 1925-30
These are rare and beautiful silver pearls from deep in the remote and vast Southwestern desert of the
early 20th Century, as exotic and precious in their own way as Tahitian black pearls from the South Seas.
Historic two-piece Navajo silver beads like the ones in this superb necklace are often affectionately referred
to as “Navajo Pearls” and they have always been some of the most unique, attractive and desirable jewelry ever made around these parts.
These beads were traditionally made, as the ones in this necklace were, from cast-ingot coin silver, melted down from precious and hard to come by in the predominately trade economy of this region, American and/or Mexican silver coins and cast into small silver ingots which were then hammered out to form the shape of one-half bead, two halves were then joined, soldered together and filed to make one single finished bead. Now repeat that painstaking process 87 more times to make the 88 silver beads in this necklace. It’s hot, difficult, painstaking work and a whole lot of it. The fact that they are so difficult to make has always made them all the more desirable and costly; coveted, admired and treasured across the entire region and beyond.
The 88 silver beads in this necklace are beautifully matched for size and shape and they measure approximately 1/2" in diameter and 3/8" in height. They are strung on old double-plied waxed cotton cordage and might have possibly been restrung at some point in their century or so life. They are in generally excellent original condition with great old age-appropriate wear and a fine soft patina and ‘color’ from age and use.
The necklace measures a good-sized 13 1/2" in length measured from the top of the beads to the bottom of
the necklace, while lying flat on a table and it measure approximately 27" in circumference all the way around.
The necklace weighs a very satisfying, yet very comfortable to wear 133 grams or 4 5/8 ounces.
The necklace also has a nice provenance; we acquired it from an old Southwestern Indian Trading family
who have been traders to the Navajo for many generations.
Be the envy of any glamorous event you might care to attend wearing this historic classic beauty of a necklace and compete toe-to-toe with anything made by the likes of Cartier, Tiffany, Bulgari, Harry Winston or Van cleef and Arpels, and for a big boatload less money. Red Carpet here you come!
SOLD
