posted on March 26, 2008 08:41:15 AM
I bot this at a yard sale. The man said he and his wife traveled all over the States and collected Indian art, etc. Do you think these are bear claws and also are the beads made of bone? TKIA
posted on March 26, 2008 09:57:21 AM
What a neat piece. How does it close? And, yes, the light-colored beads look like bone, and the claws look like bear claws. Not positive, though.
Maybe you could research the average length of bear claws in the Southwest and compare that number with those on the bracelet.
Please let us know when you list this item! ~Adele
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posted on March 26, 2008 11:03:09 AM
That's not a southwestern piece. If anything it's a plains bracelet. There's also something just not right about it. I can't put my finger on it just now. It also doesn't look very old. The white beads might be bone, the ersatz plastic ones are easy to spot, there's no color variation. The broken one appears to be broken like bone would break.
posted on March 26, 2008 02:46:39 PM
niel35, I used to deal in Indian jewelry, I think this is a made up piece that some hippie or?? made up. The cross piece's look like bone, the beads if you tap them on your teeth glass will have a very distinct sound plastic and bone will be more dull. The solid color beads are not bone maybe the lighter ones but they should have some grain to them. At to the bear claws, if you hold them up to the light it should be lighter at the end or tip and get darker as it goes up to the larger part. I have never in 40 years seen a piece of "Indian" jewelry look like this. I my opinion I think it is something someone has made up. JMO
posted on March 26, 2008 03:20:46 PM
Thanks Gas. The red beads are plastic but the others are a brass or gold color. The claws are lighter near the tips and go darker from there. Maybe I'll throw it in the yard sale.
posted on March 26, 2008 06:57:08 PM
I love it! I think it will sell. Use words like Hippie style. It's great. Looks like something I would have worn in the 1960's.
