Diné (Navajo) 12-strand Coral, Turquoise, Silver Necklace [SOLD]

Coral was introduced to the Southwest by the Spaniards but was not used extensively until the late 1930s, when traders imported it to Zuni Pueblo. Most coral used in the Southwest came from the Mediterranean. Both Pueblo and Navajo artisans have worked with coral. This necklace is most likely of Navajo origin because of the handmade silver beads.

The 12-strand necklace is comprised of tubular somewhat smooth beads of coral with interspersed handmade small silver beads and drilled turquoise beads. The color of the coral is orange. Coral can no longer be mined as it has been classified as endangered. There is no restriction on selling older coral items.

This necklace was purchased in the 1970s from Fenn Galleries in Santa Fe by the current owners.  The coral has assumed a beautiful sheen over the decades.  The coral is a variety of shades of orange which adds character to the necklace because it is not uniform in color.  The same is true of the turquoise as there are different thicknesses and colors of the stones.  The silver beads continue the trend in that they are of different sizes. 

The necklace is rich in color and beautiful in its massiveness.  Everything about this necklace exemplifies class and beauty. 

Condition:  The necklace is secure and ready to wear.

Provenance: From the personal collection of a family in Indiana

Recommended Reading: North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment from Prehistory to the Present by Lois Sherr Dubin