Over the years I have gotten many inquiries asking how one can tell the authenticity of old ethnographic silver and jewelry. The richness, the mystery, the feel, the quality, and the history embedded in an antique ethnic silver piece of jewelry is deeply satisfying and an incentive to collect and wear it. I've noticed too, that more and more sellers online make false claims about the age, quality, origins, and history of "tribal" and "ethnic" pieces. As a service, I decided to put together this "FYI" essay with some ABC's of authenticating tribal and ethnographic jewelry. I do this because I love collecting and preserving traditions of endangered cultures, and am committed to truth as a path in my life in general, as well as becoming educated to the art, and mystery traditions of other cultures. In my case I am specifically interested in the material and cultural anthropology of folk and classic al jewelry traditions in the Indian subcontinent, Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia.

In general, truly valuable collectibles cannot be purchased dirt cheap. There are good deals yes, but authentic antiques increase in value over time and are rarely available for KMart prices. The other side of this, is that there seems to be a dirge of ethnic "junk", reproductions and ethnic market costume jewelry (of various qualities), represented as ancient relics, tribal ritual objects or as antiques, that are purchased by the unaware public for way more than they are worth. Please read on, to learn some guidelines that will help you to determine just what it is you want, and just how much you should pay for it. At the very least you will learn some powerful questions to ask a seller in order to determine their knowledge, dependability and their ethics.

Rule 1: What's in a name?

Just because a seller uses words like: Nepal, Tibetan, African, India, Turkey, tribal, old, antique, ethnic, ritual, collectible, gypsy, Berber, Bedouin, Turkoman, Hindu or Buddhist etc., does not mean that the piece is actually an authentic ethnographic collectible. These can be buzz words and can be used to capture your hard earned dollars. All of these countries and others excel in the mass marketing of cheap, often poorly made new items designed to look old for the lucrative export market (read US, European, Japanese). These countries also have many inscrutable dealers who tell unknowing wholesale buyers that their items are old. I know of one large family business in Nepal, well represented at the dealer and wholesale markets, who do a huge business selling new Tibetan jewelry as old specimens. Then of course there are the inscrutable western dealers who make 10 times or more their cost off the fake antique jewelry.

Reproductions are everywhere and truly collectible and antique items are scarce. Real antiques cost a good amount in their countries of origin, costume and mass market imitations don't. A Kuchi gypsy wedding necklace from Pakistan or Afghanistan touted to be an authentic antique on EBay with no reserve that sells for $30 is a new reproduction, most likely of poor quality purchased for about $2 - $5. Reproductions can be poorly executed for the mass market with simulated materials or beautifully executed with authentic materials and techniques by a craftsperson. A good quality new product reproduced in the traditional style with quality silver and authentic stones is valuable to own, but it is not a 200 year old ritual item. And the mass market junk ethnic jewelry is faked to look old, made with shoddy materials and is everywhere on the net and in stores and is usually not worth owning. An ethical seller will tell you what you are buying.

This brings us to a very important point. It is not bad to buy or want or appreciate newly made ethnographic jewlery. What is crucial is that you know the differences that exist, so you know exactly what you are buying and how much to pay for it. Today throughout India, Turkey, Nepal, Africa and other countries, small communities are developing artisan coops to maintain traditional indigenous artistic techniques and designs. This is a powerful effort to preserve cultural traditions and relevance and participate in a market economy. I wholly support buying these goods which maintain a high standard of quality.

You may also find mass market ethnic jewelry beautiful and mesmerizing. But there is a lot of junk out there that looks to your untrained eye "antique" and many dealers and sellers misrepresent these faked antique goods either knowingly or unknowingly as authentic tribal and indigenous ethnographica. The bottom line is, you may pay a premium antique price for a "Bedouin amber" strand, or "Pakistani gypsy earrings", or "Egyptian burial necklace" because you think they are authentic antiques, when they are not, thus giving the seller a huge windfall profit based on a lie. And finally good intentioned and ethical dealers sometimes make mistakes.

Rule 2: All things silver are not silver!

Many ethnic jewelry dealers overseas and in the US call white metal and coin silver, "silver". Coin silver can be a very high grade silver with a lot of silver content or low grade silver with primarily brass and nickel content. Many cultures along the Mediterranean and in the Middle East used minted silver coins in jewelry and as source metal to melt down for traditional jewelry making. Nickel silver is primarily copper with nickel and silver. Though nickel is a toxic metal - nickel silver was also used as a source metal for fabricating traditional ethnic jewelry. Good coin silver maintains a beautiful silver white patina and does not turn skin green or black, and it is strong and substantial. Brass is also in coin silver, so a poor quality coin silver is yellow and brassy.

White metal can be tin and aluminum alloys, is very light weight, has a green, whitish cast, and breaks easily. It does not polish up like silver, nor really look like silver to the trained eye. Much of the new costume and market ethnic jewelry is made with white metal. These cheap metal alloys can also dipped into a silver metallic paint, which is shiny when new and pretended to be silver by the manufacturers and the subsequent sellers.

Good silver is made from silver and copper, sterling being 92.5% elemental silver. It will oxidize naturally when sitting for a long time in your drawers, but will polish beautifully with silver polish, a silver cloth, rouge (a c lay polish), or when rubbed briskly on blue jeans. Most old ethnic silver is not lightweight, except if for reasons of bulk it is hollow, so weight may sometimes be an indicator. Of course there is also beautiful lightweight filigree silver work which was fabricated from Thailand to Spain. A tell tale sign of authentic good quality silver is the beautiful patina when rubbed, and the feel and taste of the metal. Color is a reliable indicator but takes training and time to acquire. Good silver is well - silver; not greenish, yellow or copperish and not too white. Think of a US silver dollar, or anything you have that is sterling (stamped 925). The old ethnographic silver was not stamped 925, so you have to train yourself. An eye and a tongue for these attributes will come over time.

Authentically old silver can be identified by the following criteria:

~There are usually no sharp edges. Surface areas are smooth especially where they contact skin. Contour edges of the piece, bezels, and seams are worn not "fresh" or sharp, the smooth polish of time and rubbing.

~ There may be dents and dings (also known as character).

~ Hammered or raised designs will be worn smooth, from frequent reverent touching.

~ Designs are traditional, often religious: a raised mermaid, or stylized non-native flower may not be congruent with the cultural history of the piece you are considering and is therefore contemporary.

~ Links and clasps show signs of stress and thinning, and smoothing.

~ There will be a blackish antique patina which is a result of years of built up human soil and dirt; silver made to look old is dipped in a chemical bath and will not rub off except under a powerful polishing wheel. A chemical dip "age patina" is often a bluish, or gray/green color and is practically a sure thing on new, mass market ethnic jewelry.

Warning: 1) Some people have a body ph that turns good quality silver black as well as creates a black "ring" on their skin. This is not a reliable indication of the silver quality of the piece. You probably know if this is you by now as most people have worn sterling at some time in their life. With some people this condition only manifests when they sweat. 2) There are also people who are allergic to silver and can only wear gold. Their ears become infected or the sides of the face and neck and fingers break out where the silver touches the skin. Its not a rule, but these people are often fair skinned with red, or blond hair.

Rule 3: Beads and stones are faked too!

Old glass beads and stone beads are a wonderful passion. People all over the world have imbued stones and beads with elemental powers and desirable human and spiritual qualities to protect, guide, and bless us. However, in mass market ethnic jewelry, coral, turquoise, carnelian, lapis, amber, garnets, rubies and sapphires are often new glass, plastic, and ceramics imitations. To confuse you further, some beautiful high quality ethnographic jewelry from the Middle East, African and Indian subcontinent used glass originally in their designs. Also, many stone repairs on gorgeous old silver pieces were done with glass. So you may find an outstanding specimen of authentically old silver with a new glass, carnelian eye. See my references at the end to help you determine "original" design and composition protocols.

To authenticates semiprecious stones, become experienced with the touch and feel and look of them by going to bead and gemstone expos and shows, or visit reputable local dealers who will share their knowledge with you and let you touch the stones. For a beginner it is always the most difficult to differentiate between glass and carnelian, coral, lapis, garnets, rubies, and sapphires . Turquoise substitutes are most often plastic or dyed reconstituted minerals, as is often "amber". Historical references are absolutely essential to authenticate old glass and old glass trade beads, which are reproduced today at an amazing rate and offered as collectible specimens. Again see my references.

Rule 4: Our love affair with amber!

Amber is a special category. True amber/ambroid was formed in the Neolithic period. It is a sap from a type of pine tree which heated and crystallized/hardened due to pressure deep in the earth. Amber is and has been mined primarily in the Baltic regions of Eastern Europe and all of the old amber was mined there over the past thousand years. The substance was immediately loved for its intoxicating color, scent, and warmth, and traded throughout the Mediterranean, Africa and overland on the Silk Route and many peoples valued it and made beads from it.

When I say something is Tibetan amber or African amber, what I am telling people is that this amber bead was last worn by these people. Its not that the amber was mined in Tibet or Morocco, only that a bead can be made or used there. There are gorgeous, old authentic amber beads in use today and from the past in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and India. Therefore it is not true that "African amber" cannot be real. It is the bead that is old and the value is in its cultural history and usage as well as in the material itself. Traditionally and today amber is a symbol of status, as well as used as a powerful material and spiritual amulet.

Copal is a resin in the process of becoming amber. It is mined in Zanzibar, South America and New Zealand primarily, and copal beads both old and new are found in beautiful ethnographic jewelry. Copal beads can be sticky and tacky. Copal is valuable too and is usually referred to as amber in the trade.

Certain manmade "amber resins and plastics" are very valuable as well, due to their age and and their use with other old elements in traditional ethnographic jewelry, and because the "cultures" who use it, often recognize no difference between it and the elemental ambroid. Bakelite amber is a beautiful manmade amber resin which was developed in the early 20th century and traded with many Middle Eastern, African, and Asian cultures. Old Bakelite amber is very collectible too and a strand of 30 /1.5 inch beads can cost between $350 - $1000. African, Tibetan, and Middle Eastern "amberphiles" pay a lot for this "old amber" themselves, and most collectors have some prize specimens in their treasure box. I myself treasure and collect old ambroid, copal, and manmade amber beads. I value them for their beauty, their age, their size, their coloring, and their rich history in quality antique ethnographica.

True ambroid is lightweight, not as hard as plastic and when rubbed (especially near the stringing channel) emits a piney fragrant scent. Ambroid will float in a saline solution of 1/4 - 1/3 cups of salt to 2 cups of warm water. Copal amber resinshould float as well, and Bakelite amber does not float and does not emit a piney smell when rubbed. Burning amber and copal to release the piney smell is a test for identification but can permanently mar the bead. See Amber Home for detailed info from a world renowned expert on amber.

Rule 5: The word "old" can be very confusing!

An antique silver bangle or headdress from Rajasthan India can be a thrill to own and wear. Something about old silver passed down from woman to woman over the generations in the desert of Africa or India that finds me as a home, satiates me deep inside. But how do you know that something is old or that the sellers idea of old and yours are synonymous? In the trade dealers will use the world old to denote specimens of 30-100 years of age and more. Technically "collectible" is between 30- 99 years old as is "vintage. "Antique" is 100 years of age or older. " Ancient" is generally BCE (before year 0), but may also refer to the 6th century or earlier. And sometimes a dealer will give you a period of time that the piece may have been made or worn as in 50 -70 yrs. old. Early century refers to the first 3rd of 100 years, middle century the 2nd third, and late century the final third. When you read the copy of an item description, ask yourself how much history and anthropology does the seller give you. Reputable dealers are straightforward, knowledgeable, have answers to your questions and use written, visual, and academic research materials to historically place their specimens. They also say, "I don't know" when they don't.

Conclusion

For me quality and integrity are the criteria which determines worth. This is an umbrella for: traditional silver designs and techniques to the particular region, high silver content, uniqueness and attractiveness, at least 30 years old, authentic gemstones with good color and matrix, referenced old glass beads and general good condition overall. The following is a general quick reference chart to help you determine what you're looking at.

	Silver Content	Real Gems & Old Glass Beads	Antique Patina	Traditional Designs	Quality Smithing
Antiques & Collectible Ethnographica	Very high	Yes, Good color and condition & referenced trade beads	Authentic from years of human oil and dirt	Yes	Yes
New Artisan Quality Repros	High	Yes , Or new quality glass & new trade beads	Sometimes simulated	Yes	Yes
New Mass Market "Ethnic" Jewelry	None or very low, White metals brass, tin & coated materials.	No, Fake gems, of glass, ceramic, plastic , fake or new trade beads	Usually simulated to fake antiquity	Sometimes, often mixed with modern	No Shoddy work breaks easily

I use academic and museum references when determining the cultural and material anthropology of ethnographic jewelry. Go to your local public and university libraries and look at their references and collections books, look for the references below . A trained eye and touch is also an invaluable asset and these must be cultivated. Go to gem and bead shows, museums, antique dealers and galleries to see what old ethnic silver, coral, turquoise, lapis, amber and old glass beads look like and how they are used. Then go to a flea market or commercial import store and see mass produced ethnic jewelry. Can you tell the difference between collectible, antique specimens, and mass market junk and new quality repros?

Remember if you love something and it is valuable to you for its beauty or its origin, or because you bought it at that magical open air market in Morocco, Turkey, or Delhi; or the day you fell in love at the flea market; then there is no objective criteria to determine fair market value. But if your purchase is contigent on your belief that the piece is old, or a new indigenous coop item, consider this. Ethnographic jewelry, textiles and art seem to be very fashionable now. Perhaps because the world is smaller, perhaps because we are bored with our over consumptive material life and crave a life with deeper meaning and a closer spiritual and material dependence with the Earth. Perhaps the mystery and interdependence of tribal lives and communities with the natural world around them reminds us of what we are lacking in our oversized, often impersonal daily communal life. Fact is, the very sophisticated art of these peoples - like their way of life is endangered. It is ethical for us to learn as much as we can about the materials and cultures of other peoples which we often consume in a sort of disrespectful and entitled way, and who are not as materially privileged as we are. Many of these artistic traditions are slowly eroding as the market forces of capitalist materialism clash with small indigenous people and their cultural and material practices. In fact the majority of the wealth of tribal ethnographic jewelry is not in the hand of the cultures who produced them but in Western museums and in private collections of a select few.

There are some of us who have simply fallen in love with the deep meaning, the history, the boldness, the human hopes and wishes embedded in, and the power of ethnographic jewelry and its inexplicable and multidimensional mystery. We feel a deep kinship based on a continuing knowledge and understanding of what the objects mean to those who made and wore them and for humanity at large. When we buy collectibles and antiques with this deep respect, awe, and reverence for their multivalent meanings, keep them for a lifetime, pass them to our loved ones, and wear them as powerful spiritual and material amulets, and pay a decent price to the artist who made them - we are preserving something sacred. When we buy newly made high quality indigenous coop art and jewelry we are helping to preserve cultural continuity and empower people who live perhaps with values inimical to material capitalism to participate on their own terms without being voraciously consumed. I do believe however, that when we buy mass produced junk ethnographic jewelry we contribute to the rise of unscrupulous profiteers of both "western and eastern" origin who selfishly exploit "ethnic" sanctity with reckless disregard for the consequences. Representing cheap, mass produced imitations of the quality indigenous crafts both old and new as valuable collectibles, will only undercut those who craft or sell quality art; eventually this practice will finalize the loss of their ability to produce the real thing.

Purchase authentic antique ethnographic jewelry or artisan made new reproductions, either way use your intention and money as carefully and respectfully as the people who put their heart and soul into the making of these amazing amulets for personal adornment and spiritual empowerment. Do not continue to represent something you bought for resale as old if you come to realize it is not. Your integrety will help preserve a the only standard that is acceptable in the collector or buying trade - and that is "truth". Thank you.

*****Please note, this essay is published online for your benefit and is COPYRIGHT PROTECTED. Please credit the author and website if you should use this reference in published or unpublished works. Thankyou, Palika

References:

Traditional Jewelry of India by Oppi Untracht

Crafts of Kashmir, Jammu & Ladakh by Jaitly & Sahai

Jewelry of Nepal by Gabriel Hannelore

Islamic Silver by Saad Al-Jadir

Silver Jewelry of Oman by Rajab

Old Silver Jewelry of the Turkoman by Dieter & Schletzer

The Art of Bedouin Jewelry by Colyer Ross

Bedouin Jewelry in Saudi Arabia by Colyer Ross

Bijoux Berberes au Maroc by David Rouach

Arts and Crafts of Morocco by Jereb James

Africa Adorned by Angela Fisher

Uzbekistan by Pavaloi

The Splendor of Ethnic Jewelry by France Borel

Ethnic Jewelry by John Mack

Folk Jewelry of the World by Ger Daniels

Collectible Beads by Robert Liu

The History of Beads by Lois Sherr Dubin