Sterling Silver
Stamped Bison Barrettes
HK Item #BAR996

one pair stamped sterling silver Bison barrettes

size	1 3/4" long x 1/4" tall
materials	sterling silver, Read about silver
hallmarks	none
artist	unknown

one pair stamped sterling silver Bison barrettes

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One Pair Sterling Silver
Stamped Bison Barrettes

Paula says - "In my opinion, these barrettes show design characteristics and workmanship of being Native American made. But because there is no hallmark that we can attribute to a specific artist we can't legally sell them as Native American made - read more."

one pair stamped sterling silver Bison barrettes

Questions or more details.

Store Policies

Buffalo or Bison?

The majestic animals that roamed the US plains by the millions were American bison or Plains bison. There are also similar bison that free range in Poland and other European countries. Bison have large humps at their shoulders, massive heads, beards and thick winter coats that they shed in the spring.

Bison are often erroneously called buffalo. In 1913 the Buffalo nickel (AKA Indian Head nickel) was struck. The coin's designer, James Earle Fraser, said he wanted to use a symbol of the American west and felt that "a North American Indian and a buffalo fitted into the picture perfectly." Technically, it should be called the bison nickel.

Buffalo live in South Asia (Water Buffalo) or Africa (Cape Buffalo). Buffalo have smooth, thin hair coats, no hump, no beard and have smaller heads but larger horns than a bison.

About Silver

100% solid silver won't tarnish but it is too soft to use for making jewelry - it could easily be scratched, dented and bent. Sterling silver has a small amount of one or more other metals usually copper, added to the silver. To be called sterling silver, the alloy must contain at least 92.5% pure silver. Sterling silver alloy is harder than pure silver but the added metals also can cause discoloration or tarnish.

Why isn't this item called Native American?

The US Department of the Interior Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 and its recent Amendments require that items described as Native American or Indian be made by an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe. Furthermore, government regulations suggest that all attributions include the Native American Indian's name, tribe and federal tribal enrollment number. Because it is impossible to identify the artist for many vintage items, even if they are authentic Indian made items, we cannot and will not use the words Native American or Indian in association with such pieces.

Read about authenticity of Native American Indian jewelry.

Sterling SilverStamped Bison Barrettes HK Item #BAR996

Buffalo or Bison?

About Silver

Why isn't this item called Native American?

Sterling Silver
Stamped Bison Barrettes
HK Item #BAR996