Dig It - 1/1/23
Dig It!
What can I say Fellow Seekers? The Old Prospector gets a little jaded sometimes and this past summer I did not pick up a single piece of silver at the show. Now don’t get me wrong there was some good pieces at the show, but nothing great except at this one young Whipper Snapper, Toby Herbst’s Booth. He seemed to have it all. (Warning from the Management; Seekers, be prepared for cussing and colorful language. The Following is to be read in the voice of Walter Brennan) Anyway, the one thing I did pick up was this Fantastic Shell and Turquoise Necklace. When I saw it, my jaw dropped, and my blood pressure rose. Now I weren’t the first person to pick it up, so I had to wait patiently with sweaty palms while another person considered it. That no-good, Ornery Pole Cat who was a selling it, knew what he had, and the price finally scared away the first buyer. That number scared me too, but the seller looked at me and with a sly smile said. "You know you will regret it if you don’t buy it.” Dagnabbit! He knew he had me plumb center and I was a goner, another victim of Unbridled Capitalism! I was Gone Under for sure! So, there you have it, I bought it.
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It is Probably Zuni, and made for Native use. I used to see great necklaces at Zuni Pueblo during the Shalako Ceremony, but nothing like this and that were many years ago. This necklace is made up of parts, some of the hand drilled shell and stone beads and tabs date to the 19th century, and others like the red spondylus naja dates to the 20th century. The necklace was assembled by a native craftsman in its present configuration certainly by the mid 20th century. There it is Fellow Seekers, an astounding, beautiful necklace, Lonesome's best strike of the season, a treasure you can call your very own. Happy New year to all and may your life be blessed with Health, Happiness and plenty of Treasure!