Faux Native American necklace?

I know this necklace is somewhere between 15 and 60 or so years old. I didn't see a mark, and it's not likely to be silver or silver-plate since there's not one bit of tarnish and it doesn't at all look or feel like silver to me.

Is it probably a department store imitation NA piece?



Thanks for any help with this!

 

Fake, and quite recent (note the closure).

 

Thanks, 6rivests. Yup, I thought that about the closure, too.

If you sell an imitation NA item on eBay, can you say "fake NA" or "imitation NA" or are we supposed to not say NA at all?

 

The rule is no use of the term native or indian and not in the category

Use of the word fake may get a listing pulled in any category

 

Use "Southwestern Style".

 

"Southwestern Style" sounds good. Is "squash blossom" appropriate for this piece?

Terry, you're right about using "fake" and I misspoke... I meant "faux" which I've used for glass and plastic pearls.

 

I'd use Naja too. It's a pure costume piece, a 2001 or later update of a 70s piece of costume, in fact. It's not a fake of any sort; it's on ball chain, keychain beads I always call them, and no Navajo would have gone within 50 feet of the stuff. My guess is it came from one of those mall stores or Target, or something like that.

 

"Naja"?

I've had it since 2000, and know my mother picked it up sometime before that, but I don't know where or when. She might have bought it in one of the flea markets she poked around in.

 

Yes there are squash-blossoms in the design. But it doesn't look like any kind of traditional pattern, I may be wrong.

 

Okay, so guess I've got a "Southwestern Style Squash Blossom Necklace XX" Long".

Not a collectible, certainly, but would look great with the right outfit.

 

The stones look to be plastic too and glued.

 

Here are a couple of the same necklace.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/L-K-VINTAGE-FAUX-SQUASH-BLOSSOM-AND-SOUTHWEST-BOLO-COSTUME-LOT-ESTATE-FIND-346-/201118315647?ViewItem=&item=201118315647&nma=true&si=PDneyK%2BkPW4jIlbi8bG1reSpDX8%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Retro-Late-Vintage-Faux-Turquoise-Silver-Metal-Squash-Blossom-Necklace-Jewelry-/251559796543?pt=Vintage_Costume_Jewelry&hash=item3a9221df3f&nma=true&si=PDneyK%2BkPW4jIlbi8bG1reSpDX8%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=171367259030

 

Shiloh, I'll check to see if the stones are plastic.

SIS, thanks so much for the links. Good to see it might sell for $20. I'd be amazed if the one in the last link sells at that price.

 

Isn't this the type of thing that comes out of Indonesia? Could the stones be Howlite (Turquelite when dyed like this).

 

I haven't checked the stones yet, but if memory serves, I think it may be too lightweight for the stones to be actually made of stone.

 

They're plastic if this is like most of them. I've rarely seen one with glued "stones" that were anything but. Sometimes if you're lucky you get glass ones.

 

Before I knew anything about NA jewelry my husband and I were driving to ElPaso TX. I saw a roadside vendor in New Mexico selling sterling and turquoise NA jewelry. I bought some rings,necklaces and bracelets,they were beautiful.

Well, we got to TX. and in our friends home I showed her my jewels. LOL, she pulled out a REAL squash blossom necklace and I then took mine outside, popped a fake turq. stone from a piece and took a lighter to it. It melted, it was plastic and the sterling was fake. Even the black inlay stones on some rings were plastic.

I was grateful for that experience as it was a begining to my silversmithing

 

Aren't those kinds of lessons the ones that stick the most?

It's so easy to get fooled by things when you don't know what to look for.