STANDARDS FOR INDIAN SILVER WORK
Condensed from "INDIANS AT WORK"", March 15, 1937

In order to protect the native Navaho and Pueblo Indian silversmiths who wish to turn out genuine, handmade silver and turquoise jewelry, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in February, voted unanimously to adopt certain standards that will be enforced by the Government.

This action came only after much study of the problem. Counsel of Indians and Indian traders was sought on every point. This need of protection for Indian silversmiths has long been evident. Because of a flourishing curio trade, machine made jewelry has flooded the markets and the prospective buyers have had no way of knowing whether they were getting genuine Indian jewelry. In hopes of remedying this situation the Indian Arts and Crafts Board has set certain standards. In order to merit the Government stamp of genuineness Indian silver objects must be made according to the following specifications:

1. Material. Silver slugs of 1 ounce weight or other silver objects may be used, provided their fineness is at least 900; and provided further that no sheet silver shall be used. Unless cast, the slug or other object is to be hand hammered to thickness and shape desired. The only exceptions are pins on brooches or similar objects; ear screws for earrings; backs for tie clasps, and chain which may be of silver of different fineness and mechanically made.

2. Dies. Dies used are to be entirely handmade, with no tool more machanical than hand tools and vise. Dies shall contain only a single element of the design.

3. Application of dies. Dies are to be applied to the object with the aid of nothing except hand tools.

4. Applique elements in design. All such parts of the ornament are to be handmade. If wire is used, it is to be handmade with no other tool than a handmade draw plate. These requirements apply to the boxes for stones used in the design.

5. Stone for ornamentation. In addition to turquoise, the use of other local stone is permitted. Turquoise, if used, must be genuine stone uncolored by any artificial means.

6. Cutting of stone. All stone used, including turquoise, is to be hand cut and polished. This permits the use of hand or foot-driven wheels.

7. Finish. All silver is to be hand polished.

All silversmiths who meet these requirements will be allowed to stamp their products with a stamp provided by the Government. This will be a mark of genuineness, much like the hall-mark on Sterling silver. The buyer of Indian silver jewelry will thus be able to distinguish genuine articles from those made by machinery.

In a recent circular the Indian Arts and Crafts Board set forth the following regulations governing the marking of hand made jewelry;

1. All dies used to mark silver will be provided by and owned by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board.

2. For the present the Indian Arts and Crafts Board reserves the sole right to judge what silver complying with its standards shall bear the Government mark. All such marking of silver shall, for the present, be done by an agent of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board.

3. No piece of silver, though made in compliance with the standards set forth by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, shall bear the Government mark unless;

(a) Its weight is substantially in accord with Indian usage and custom.

(b) Its design elements are substantially in accord with Indian usage and tradition.

(c) Its workmanship is substantially that expected in good hand craftmanship.

4. Dies are marked with name of tribe. A Navaho stamp will be used where the maker is a Navaho Indian; similarly, for Zuni, Hopi, and Rio Grande Pueblo.

5. All dies will be numbered, and each wholesaler or dealer will be held responsible for any violation of standards in silver that bears his mark. Until such time as the Board relinquishes its sole right to mark silver, the responsibility of the dealer for whom silver is marked will be confined to misrepresentations as to quality of silver and of stones used for ornament and to methods of production.

6. In addition to silver currently made in compliance with standards of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, other silver products made prior to the promulgation of these regulations may be stamped, provided the maker thereof is known to be an Indian, and the product satisfies the requirements in paragraph 3.

7. Any dealer offering for sale silver bearing the Government mark shall display in a prominent place a placard setting forth the standards and these regulations, such placard to be furnished by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board.