**In the 2nd to the last photo, you’ll see another vintage Navajo Pearl necklace that I will soon be listing and is a bit longer. So be sure to keep your eyes out for that!

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Virginia Tso is a renowned Navajo jeweler from Pinedale, AZ. She has specialized in sterling silver handmade beads since the 1970s. Virginia often hallmarks her work "TSO".(See last photo)

For Virginia, bead making is a family tradition that goes back many years and has been passed down from generation to generation. Virginia Tso and her late husband Morris began making handmade sterling silver beads decades ago. Virginia learned silversmithing from her paternal grandmother, Helen Silversmith who lived to be 108 years old. Her grandmother learned from her father, Sam Silversmith. He was given this name because he was so highly respected by the community for his jewelry making.

Virginia and Morris took what they learned and added their own creative touch, making beads in all styles, shapes and sizes...round beads, flat beads, melon beads, fluted beads, and saucer beads strung in many different lengths and endless combinations. The process involves melting down scrap silver, rolling it into sheets, cutting out the rough shapes, doming each bead, stamping or shaping, punching the hole, soldering each half together, filing and buffing to a shiny finish or oxidizing to a soft satin patina, and finally stringing them on a chain. This is the traditional way of making handmade beads. Virginia is one of the few Navajo silversmiths who still makes her sterling silver beads completely by hand, which very few artists still create this style of silver bead by hand. The simple style is timeless and elegant.

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NECKLACE PROVENANCE:

This came from a Santa Fe store customer of mine who was downsizing. She was telling me she purchased this right here in Santa Fe somewhere around the early to mid 80's.

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DESCRIPTION:

This is designed with 3 different sized beads, with the biggest majority being in the 17.5 mm size. The design and stamping is consistent throughout, with there being a alternating pattern of fluted beads & hand stamped beads. On the hand stamped beads however, there are 2 different stamped designs.

What makes these beads so wonderful is not only that they are made entirely by the hands of Virginia who is known solely for her quality hand made pearls, but for the fact that their finished look comes from having "Natural" patina that has developed over time! Now whether they were given a oxidized finishing when they were originally made, is hard to tell, but what I do know, is that they are darkened from time, so the patina you see is natural and not 'pre-applied'! They are strung on sterling chain, which helps them to fold up easily.

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FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

**All Navajo Pearl beads are hollow,with some being light in weight,while others are heavy. The weight of a Navajo Pearl necklace is determined by the GAUGE of sterling that the artist chose to work with & then of course how big the bead is & the length (More beads-More weight)**

**FIRM ON PRICE**