Vintage Navajo Three Strand Turquoise Bead Necklace

About the Piece:

There's a certain feeling that comes when you wrap a strand of turquoise around your neck. It's hard to describe, but it you're familiar with turquoise, you're likely aware. 

This elegant vintage Navajo turquoise necklace is one that gives all those feels. It's three strands of beaded turquoise elegance. The turquoise is lightly variegated in color, and each strand alternates between little, irregular, hand-shaped pieces and the teeniest heishi-like beads. There's also just the slightest overall graduation in size. 

It's the type of vintage turquoise necklace that you'll reach for again and again whether you're wearing denim or a dress. It's unpretentious, light weight and so easy to wear, but it adds a richness that can't easily be found. 

This wearable delight measures 29" from end to end. The little hand cut beads are about 1/4" in depth, and the piece is finished with elongated silver cones. 

The necklace also has provenance which we always love. It comes from the fine collection of long-time friend from Back East. She used to make annual trips to Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Fair in Arizona and Martha Struever's Native American art tours. This particular necklace was acquired more than a decade ago from Joe Tanner, a long-established Gallup, NM trader with decades of experience working with Native artists and families from the Southwest.

If you'd like a bolder look, you can also wear joclas with this necklace as seen in the photographs.

Summary:

• Item: Necklace

• Attribution: Vintage Navajo

• Materials: Turquoise beads with silver cone terminals

• Dimensions: Approximately 29" in length; hand-cut beads approximately 1/4" in depth

• Provenance: From a long-time private collection; acquired more than a decade ago from Joe Tanner, a long-established Gallup, New Mexico trader.