Navajo Three Strand Turquoise Fetish Necklace [SOLD]

Three strands of exquisite hand-carved turquoise birds are strung with very fine turquoise heishi beads in this mid- to late-twentieth century fetish necklace. While many fetish necklaces feature a variety of materials, this necklace was made primarily from turquoise. The visual effect is stunning. The fine heishi beads are a work of art on their own. The addition of dozens of beautifully carved birds makes this a one-of-a-kind piece. Each bird is a small individual sculpture—each slightly different with a personality of its own.

During the 1960s and 1970s when Native American jewelry was nationally popular, and Zuni fetish necklaces were in vogue, traders employed talented Diné carvers to help meet the demand. At one time trader Tobe Turpin had a trailer in Gallup, close to the Zuni reservation, where up to twenty artisans were carving fetishes. Many of these carvers were Diné. The key identifier for these Diné carvers was the spread-wing eagle suspended at the bottom.

This is a unique piece that would make a beautiful addition to any collection.

Condition: this Navajo Three Strand Turquoise Fetish Necklace is in excellent condition

Provenance: from the collection of a family from Colorado

Recommended Reading: A Good Trade: Three Generations of Life and Trading Around the Indian Capital Gallup, New Mexico by John Kennedy

Note: when we say Diné, as opposed to Navaho or Navajo, we are referring to the people and not the government.  Since 1969, their government refers to itself as the Navajo Nation.  

Relative Links: Zuni Pueblo, Necklaces, Diné from the Navajo Nation, Southwest Indian Jewelry