1970s Navajo Five-Strand Carved Animal Fetish Necklace, Turquoise, Stone and Shell

Details

Description

A vintage five-strand fetish necklace featuring an abundant arrangement of carved animals, birds and fish, interspersed with brown pen shell … Read more A vintage five-strand fetish necklace featuring an abundant arrangement of carved animals, birds and fish, interspersed with brown pen shell heishi beads and turquoise-colored spacers. Orange, cream, green, black and earthy red carvings create a varied palette, anchored by a large turquoise bird with outstretched wings on the lowest strand. Sterling cones gather the strands at each end, finishing with a hook-and-eye closure.

A fetish necklace brings together small animal carvings in a wearable composition. The term draws on Southwestern Indigenous traditions in which certain animal carvings have spiritual significance associated with protection, healing and the qualities of the animals represented. Necklaces made for adornment and trade developed into a distinct jewelry form and became especially popular during the 1970s.

This example is attributed to Navajo manufacture and dated to the 1970s in its accompanying evaluation, by San Francisco Trading Company. Its five graduated strands emphasize the individuality of the carvings, from the changing animal silhouettes to the natural patterns and color variations of the stone and shell.

Details
Country of Origin: United States
Tribal Attribution: Navajo (Diné), according to accompanying evaluation by San Francisco Trading Post
Period: Circa 1970s
Style: Native American, Southwestern
Materials: Turquoise, spiny oyster shell, serpentine, jet, jasper, mother-of-pearl, pipestone and pen shell heishi, as identified in the accompanying evaluation; sterling fittings
Colors: Turquoise blue, orange, cream, brown, green, red and black
Construction: Five graduated strands with carved animal figures
Closure: Hook and eye with sterling end cones
Dimensions: 32" long
Provenance: Purchased from a retired jeweler, who said he purchased it directly from the Navajo in the 1970s. See less