How to Buy
Genuine American Indian Arts & Crafts
Produced in cooperation with the Indian Arts
and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior
Whether you're drawn to the beauty of turquoise and silver jewelry or the earth tone
colors of
Indian pottery, having some knowledge about American Indian arts and crafts can help you
get
the most for your money. Be aware that some unscrupulous retailers want to take your money
in exchange for imitation American Indian arts and crafts.
Getting What You Pay For
Under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, any item produced after 1935 that is
marketed
using terms such as "Indian," "Native American" or "Alaska
Native" must be made by a member
of a State or federally-recognized tribe or a certified Indian artisan. A certified Indian
artisan is an individual who is certified by the governing body of an Indian tribe as a
non-member Indian
artisan.
Under the Act, all Indian arts and crafts products must be marketed truthfully. For
example,
selling products using a sign claiming "Indian Jewelry - Direct from the Reservation
to You" is a
violation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act if the jewelry was produced by someone other
than a member of an Indian tribe or a certified non-member Indian artisan. Advertising
products as
"Navajo Jewelry" violates the Act if the products were produced by someone who
is not a
member of the Navajo tribe or certified as a non-member Indian artisan of the Navajo
tribe. And qualifiers such as "ancestry," "descent" and
"heritage" used in connection with the terms "Indian," "Native
American" or with the name of a particular Indian tribe - say, "Native American
heritage" or "Cherokee descent" - do not mean that the person is a member
of an Indian tribe. These terms mean that the person is of descent, heritage or ancestry
of the tribe, and are acceptable only if they are used truthfully.
Buying Tips
American Indian arts and crafts are sold through many outlets, including tourist
stores, gift shops
and art galleries. Here are some tips to help you shop wisely:
- Buy from an established dealer who will give you a written guarantee or written
verification of authenticity.
- Ask if your item comes with a certification tag. While not all authentic Indian arts and
crafts carry this tag, those that do are certified by the Department of the Interior (DOI)
to be
genuine.
GRAPHIC
This sample tag identifies the artisan as a member of the Oklahoma Indian Arts and
Crafts
Cooperative. However, you may see a different name and logo appearing in the circle on the
item you buy.
- Get a receipt that includes all the vital information about the value of your purchase,
including any verbal representations. For example, if the salesperson told you that the
piece of jewelry you're buying is sterling silver and natural turquoise and was handmade
by an American Indian artisan, insist that this information appear on your receipt.
- Before buying Indian arts and crafts at powwows, annual fairs, juried competitions, and
other events, check the event requirements for information about the authenticity of the
products being offered for sale. Many events list their requirements in newspaper ads,
promotional flyers and printed programs. If the event organizers make no statement about
the authenticity of Indian arts and crafts being offered for sale, get written
verification of authenticity for any item you purchase that claims to be authentic.
- Be aware that not all Indian-made items are handmade. There are three general methods of
production, all of which are used to make legitimate American Indian arts and crafts:
- handmade - an individual has control over the design and quality of
the craftsmanship of each piece;
- assembly line or mass-produced - a number of individuals who may be
American Indians each do only a small part of the work on each piece, in some cases
assembling components produced elsewhere; and
- machine made - individuals do little, if any, handwork.
Identifying Authentic American Indian Jewelry
It's not always easy to spot a counterfeit item but price, materials, appearance, and
the seller's guarantee of authenticity may help.
- Price - Although Indians make and sell inexpensive souvenir-type items,
authentic
high-quality Indian jewelry can be expensive.
- Type of materials - Most Indian artisans use sterling silver
complemented with opaque
stones, such as coral, onyx, shell, turquoise, lapis lazuli, or carnelian.
- Appearance - Well-crafted jewelry has no wavering lines or lopsided
designs. If a design is stamped into silver - the most common metal used - the image
should be clear. Images on imitations often are blurred. High-quality pieces use stones
that are well-cut and uniform in size, and fit snugly into their settings. The stones on
imitations may be poorly cut, leaving a large amount of metal-colored glue visible between
the stone and the metal. Look for the artist's "hallmark" stamped on the
jewelry. Many Indian artists use a hallmark - a symbol or signature - to identify their
work.
- Guarantee of authenticity - A reputable dealer will give you a written
guarantee.
Shopping for American Indian Jewelry
Whether you're buying Indian jewelry for yourself or someone special, take some time to
learn the terms used in its production. Keep in mind that the value of any piece depends
not only on the materials used, but also on the quality of craftsmanship and the harmony
of the design.
Silver
Silver is the most common metal used in American Indian jewelry.
- Sterling describes metal containing 92.5 parts silver and 7.5 parts
other metal. According to the Federal Trade Commission's Jewelry Guides, any item marked
"silver" must be sterling.
- Coin Silver describes metal containing 90 parts silver and 10 parts
other metal. It is called "coin" because Indians melted down pre-1900 American
and Mexican coins to make jewelry before they were able to obtain commercially made ingots
and sheet silver.
- German Silver - also called Nickel Silver - refers to 60 parts copper,
20 parts zinc, and 20 parts nickel. Under the FTC Jewelry Guides, no item should be called
silver, even with a modifier such as "German" or "Nickel," unless it
contains at least 90 percent silver. Nevertheless, you may see or hear this term used in
connection with Indian jewelry. In particular, some Sioux and Southern Plains Indian
metalsmiths work in this metal because it is associated with their cultural heritage.
- Drawn Silver refers to the way sterling sheet silver is rolled and
pulled through a drawplate to get a certain circumference. It is then cut into tiny
segments, filed and strung into strands for necklaces. It is sometimes called "liquid
silver." A few artists make hand-pulled silver but the majority of liquid silver is
manufactured, not handmade.
Stones
The most common stones used in American Indian jewelry include:
- Carnelian - a translucent reddish quartz stone.
- Coral - the hardened secretion of tiny sea creatures. Coral ranges in
color from white and pale pink to deep reds and oranges.
- Lapis Lazuli - a rock composed chiefly of the minerals lazurite (deep
blue), pyrite (metallic yellow) and calcite (white). The blue stone is commonly used in
modern designs by contemporary Indian artists.
- Onyx - a translucent quartz stone which, in its natural state, is
usually gray or pale blue.
Onyx frequently is dyed black.
- Shell - the general term used for pieces of the outer hard surface of
marine animals,
particularly those of pearl oysters and abalones. Shell may be used in silver inlay work
or may be shaped into flattened disks, drilled and strung into necklaces known as heishi.
- Turquoise - a copper mineral, often containing small brown or gray
veins. Turquoise
ranges in color from sky-blue to greenish-blue. The stone varies in hardness from
soft/somewhat porous to hard. In the U.S., turquoise is found in the southwestern states.
Use of turquoise from other countries is common.
Stone Treatments
Treating refers to any alteration of the properties or appearance of
natural turquoise and other
stones, with the exception of cutting and polishing.
- Dyeing - adding blue dye to low-grade turquoise, and adding black to
gray or pale blue
onyx, to enhance the stone's appearance.
- Reconstitution - pulverizing fragments of turquoise, coral or lapis
lazuli into powder. The powder is mixed with epoxy and worked into cakes or stones, which
are used just like natural stones.
- Stabilizing - injecting clear, colorless acrylics into low- to
medium-grade turquoise to
toughen and harden the stone and enhance its color. Stabilizing is the most advanced and
sophisticated method of treating turquoise. The majority of turquoise used today is
stabilized. Natural gem-quality turquoise is usually only used by top artists and commands
much higher prices than stabilized turquoise.
For More Information
To learn more about American Indian arts and crafts, contact:
- Indian Arts and Crafts Association, P.O. Box 29780, Santa Fe, NM 87592-9780;
505-265-9149; www.iaca.com
- Your local library or museums
- Publications that focus on American Indian art:
- Indian Trader (newspaper), P.O. Box 1421, Gallup, NM 87305;
505-722-6694
- Indian Country Today (newspaper), 1920 Lombardy Drive, Rapid City,SD
57703; 605-341-0011
- Native Peoples (magazine), 5333 North 7th Street, Suite C-224, Phoenix,
AZ 85014-2804; 602-265-4855
- American Indian Art Magazine, 7314 East Osborn Drive, Scottsdale, AZ
85251; 480-994-5445
Where to Complain
The FTC works for the consumer to
prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the
marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and
avoid them. To file a
complaint or to get free information
on consumer issues, visit
www.ftc.gov or
call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The
FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related
complaints into
Consumer Sentinel, a
secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law
enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
|
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION |
FOR THE CONSUMER |
1-877-FTC-HELP |
www.ftc.gov |
|
The Indian Arts and Crafts Board receives
and refers valid complaints about violations of
the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 to the FBI for investigation and to the Department
of Justice for legal action. To file a complaint under the Act, or to get free information
about the Act, contact the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior,
1849 C Street, N.W., MS 4004-M1B, Washington, D.C. 20240; 202-208-3773; www.iacb.doi.gov.
Complaints to the IACB must be in writing and include the following information:
- The name, address and telephone number of the seller.
- A description of the art or craft item.
- How the item was offered for sale.
- What representations were made about the item. Include any claims that the item was
made by a member of a particular tribe or statements about its authenticity.
- Any other documentation, such as advertisements, catalogs, business cards, photos, or
brochures. Include copies (NOT originals) of documents that support your position.
September 2000 |