At this point, a collector finds that he or she is ready to entertain the idea of people — the object’s creators. It can be embarrassing to admit that one collects for a period of time without thinking about the creators, but many collectors admit that this is precisely what they have done. Many times, collectors begin to forge bonds with their suppliers. These dealers, vendors, and shop owners often suggest artists to meet, and then collectors start on the show circuit.
One of the most popular artist's booth at Santa Fe Indian Market.
I still remember a crucial moment, about four years into my collecting, when a Navajo gallery dealer quietly advised me to take a good look at the people who made objects I wanted to purchase. I followed through at the Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial, and I learned that those objects I loved so much had people behind them.
Well, now the collector is amassing objects, and has begun to sort out some personal feelings about what is wanted and needed for a collection. The educational process begins around this point. I discovered that if I was going to spend my money like a drunken sailor, I did want to know more about the materials my object of desire was made with. For me, this meant learning about silver — coin silver, German silver, sterling silver, silver with alloys. Oh, and then, there’s the turquoise…
Books are an important resource for collectors.
Books are needed! Once the collector becomes truly primed, the need to learn, evaluate, and judge based on knowledge becomes a driving force. In my case, it led me to begin writing on the subject when the variety of books out there wasn’t enough to satisfy my questions. Today, Amazon and the online used book market make the hunt for education an easier process than it was back in the 1980s.
One object isn’t enough, oh no! The new collector is ready to embark willy-nilly on a hunt for objects like the ones in his/her possession. Frankly, new collectors can’t get enough exposure to these objects. If you don’t live in the Southwest, you comb through local shops, dealers, and shows. It only took one trip for me to realize that big successful enterprises like the Brimfield (MA) antique shows are NOT the place to find one’s objects of desire. A savvy dealer has been there the day before and taken anything of note. New collectors need to understand these realities before expending too much manic energy in fruitless hunts.
Sometimes hunts prove beneficial after the fact. We started visiting trading posts on the Navajo reservation in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Some had already stopped being genuine sources for Indian arts. Yet we discovered an affordable and fantastic rug at the Crystal Trading Post and a saddle blanket at Shonto, and learned about the historical importance of trading posts, even though their day had passed by the mid-1970s. New posts, operating like galleries are less plentiful, but when you hunt down one like Twin Rocks Trading in Bluff, Utah, it’s like hitting a bulls-eye!
Twin Rocks Trading Post, Bluff, UT
I’ve been working on a project related to why we become collectors. Certain interconnected things happen during this process. Having been through this, even though it was back in 1986, I still remember each development unfolding as clearly as if it took place yesterday.
One such ring to spark a desire to collect; this one is by Philander Begay.
Collector passion begins between a human being and an object or group of objects. I call this a first phase (a pun on the name of a period when antique Navajo weavings were first made.) The focus of the collector passion – a state of intense consumer desire – is on that object. For me, it was an Indian-made ring. Others make the discovery that their passion flares for a katsina carving, a clay pot, a piece of intricate beading, etc. Yes, we are talking about an inanimate object, something created.
A trip to Tucson for those touring Indian Country should take in Grey Dog Trading Company. Run by Kent McManis, the Native-made stone carvings you find here are chosen by THE expert. McManus and his wife have authored a number of key reference publications on Zuni stone fetishes. Their research and knowledge of the subject are prized by collectors around the country (one from New York City called during one of our visits). McManus personally knows virtually all the carvers of Zuni Pueblo, and has worked over the years to trace and place key artists within their complicated web of family relationships.
Grey Dog Trading Company, Tucson, from the outside ...
McManus has a limited amount of jewelry in his shop, a careful selection of fetishes (he travels to Zuni every month), and in recent years has begun carrying a small but remarkable number of Inuit carvings. Every piece in Grey Dog Trading has been chosen by someone with a master collector’s discerning eye.
... and on the inside.
Cowboys and Indians is one of the most popular glossy magazines on the market, and has high circulation numbers. We enjoy looking at the magazine for its intriguing articles on the western lifestyle and its sumptuous color advertisements. The popularity of Cowboys and Indians, however, also reminds us of the need for clarification. Many people see jewelry that looks like contemporary Native American designs and draw the conclusion that this adornment is Native-made. In many cases, it’s simply not so. Non-native silversmiths and jewelers work in a design mode that can be variously labeled “Southwestern Style” or “Santa Fe Style.” This mode shares many similarities to Indian-made jewelry, especially in terms of jewelry forms like bracelet cuffs, rings, and bolo ties. One major non-Native designer of note is Rocki Gorman, who now has a boutique inside the famed Hotel La Fonda in Santa Fe.
One of the best things about Native-made textiles is in the detail. Today’s weavers use opportunities to pull the viewer in with a small touch. Such an image is often organic, ranging from rain clouds to rabbits. Don’t forget to check out the Crownpoint Rug Auctions if you plan to be in western New Mexico.
Detail of a rabbit in a Navajo weaving, "A Turning Point" exhibition at the Heard Museum
Exhibitions like ”A Turning Point,” currently at the Heard Museum, point out essential information. Navajo weavings are famed for their unexpected narrative elements, usually in keeping with the overall design.
The major Indian arts shows in the Southwest have been around since the 1920s. Most of these venues have juried art competitions where Native artists can win awards — designated by Blue Ribbons — for the best work. Artists agree that winning ribbons can help elevate a career and attract sales and collectors. Many of these same people also admit that prizes can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, they bring valuable attention to the artist’s work. On the other hand, they create jealousy, arouse discontent, and place undue pressure on the competitor. One artist, a veteran of more than thirty years, confided to me one time that he was glad he won so many ribbons when starting out but now finds them superfluous. He feels the true reward comes from the buyer.
A Blue Ribbon at the 2011 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market
Over the years, we’ve watched various episodes in the running of the Navajo Arts and Crafts Enterprise. The central store is in Window Rock, but there are others in Cameron, Kayenta, and Chinle. Meant as a tribal cooperative selling fine jewelry and collectibles, we’ve found the inventory to be uneven at times. Our last visit to the Kayenta store a few years ago showed it to be mostly selling clothing. The Window Rock store may be the place to go for jewelry. A long time ago, I was able to buy a heavy-gauge Kokopelli pendant by Tommy Singer for a reasonable price; it has grown in value over the years, making it a truly satisfactory collectible. Best of all, it turns heads whenever I wear it! Some friends of mine, all fussy types, swear by the online store. Try to shop online GoNavajo.com.
This rich blue stone is so much more than the official gemstone of New Mexico and the designated stone for those born in the month of December. Turquoise has been part of the American Southwest and its peoples for more than 2000 years. Those who prize turquoise as a collectible, and love it in their Native-made jewelry, realize soon that they need to know more about this stone than the fact that it’s composed from the hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminum.
Not all turquoise is usable: it needs to be sturdy enough to take cutting and polishing. Mines of origin, color, and matrix determine value. Yet natural turquoise, a large part of what determines price for a piece of jewelry with such material, means that this stone hasn’t been treated. Unfortunately, most turquoise today requires some sort of treatment.
At this point, the collector requires some education. Dealers and suppliers are a source for information, but self-education is essential, too. Here the IACA offers some help, with their useful pamphlets. They, too, in turn look to experts, such as those who run the Turquoise Museum in Albuquerque. Located virtually a hop, skip and jump away from the Old Town Plaza, every would-be Indian arts enthusiast should make a pilgrimage there.
By the way, IACA recently announced the award-winning artists from their Spring show. See Liz Rose’s article for details.
The Turquoise Museum, near Old Town, Albuquerque