Featured Is This Turquoise

Hi all,
trying to figure out if this ring is turquoise, only mark is HR so not sure if sterling.
any information appreciated
thanks for looking

 

Yes, turquoise.
This is a Native American ring, typical Navajo style.
Definitely sterling. Probably dates to the 1980's.

 

I'll wait for the Native experts to chime in, but I think you have a winner! Henry Rosetta?

 

Hmmm---The hallmark site I just looked at said Henry Rosetta is Santo Domingo. This does not look like Santo Domingo style, but more Navajo.

 

thanks stracci

thanks evelyb30 I saw Henry Rosetta when I was looking around but thought I should find out if turquoise first.

Thanks again stracci, I don't know the difference between them

 

yes...

 

The stamp looks like Henry Rosetta's. But there are zillions of Native jewelers, and HR could be someone else. They all have initial stamps.
It could be another "HR".
I looked at Henry Rosetta's work (see below), and it is so much better than the turquoise ring shown above.

 

thanks komokwa

thanks stracci yes, those are very different. I found a couple of pieces signed HR, they think Henry Rosetta but are nothing like the pieces you show, so must be someone else with the HR initials will keep looking
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/721...t?show_sold_out_detail=1&ref=anchored_listing

 

Yes, I think there is some confusion on the internet about the HR mark on Native jewelry!

 

lol, yup, I agree

 

Looks mean little since they make similar designed objects.If an Ojibwa silversmith who was taught the techniques by a Navajo silversmith makes a Navajo style piece.Is it a Navajo or Ojibwa piece,could you tell the difference.

 

They might look similar, but the piece made by the Ojibwa silversmith could not legally be sold as "Navajo" under the terms of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, so it is important to know who the maker was, and their tribal affiliation, if there is one.

 

I'm with stracci, it looks Navajo, and it is turquoise.
The mark is not in my Barton Wright, which could mean the maker started working post-1989. Nothing definite though.

 

I understand what you are saying, but Native jewelers don't usually copy the styles of other tribes.
Native jewelers are very proud and take their art very seriously.
They generally stay true to their traditional styles.

I have a good personal friend who is a highly regarded jeweler from Santo Domingo. He would never ever make a piece that mimics Navajo style. His name is Rodney Coriz if you want to look him up. He is a master of inlay.
His stamp features his name and a sunburst. But on the internet, any piece signed 'Coriz' gets attributed to him.
He would laugh if he saw the low level work that Ebayers try to say is his.

 

I agree, plus those initials are not the same

 

thanks for looking AJ

 

thanks for the information Taupou

 

IMO you have an unattributed most likely Navajo ring. The only HR listed in Hougart’s is the artist already discussed who is not the artist of your ring. If you’re selling it just sell it as Vintage Southwestern Traditional Classic Style Silver Turquoise Ring Stamped HR and size.

 

Navajo for sure, and I've seen Sleeping Beauty turquoise that was so perfect that the artisans have put black on it to give it definition. So if it's real turquoise it's the good stuff.

 

It’s definitely genuine turquoise and I agree that it’s Navajo but if selling it cannot be listed as Navajo according to US law since the artist is unknown and in theory it could be done by any artisan in Navajo “style”. Yes, I think it’s bull but one cannot legally call that ring Navajo on the internet and IMO turquoise should never be mine attributed unless you were there when it was pulled out of the ground.