The Clothing Store Collection

This collection is from the estate of a woman who owned and operated retail clothing stores in Pinetop and Show Low, Arizona from 1973 to the mid 1980s.

She ran the stores on a day to day basis and knew many of the Santo Domingo, Navajo and Zuni women who shopped in her stores. They would often bring in their hand-made jewelry to trade for clothing. She was glad to trade with the women and she sold their jewelry in her stores.

The store owner's heir, her son, said that since his mother knew the women personally, she never wrote down their names so he has no record of who made the jewelry items she took in on trade.

The work is beautifully done and the materials are excellent - perhaps you will recognize the work of one of your favorite collectible artists from the 1970s and 1980s.

What is a jacla?

Originally, the jacla was a pair of heishi earrings that were tied onto the necklace, as much for storage as decoration. Later, loops of heishi specific for this purpose were tied onto the lower center of the stone necklace. Vertical slab or chunk stones at the center represent kernels of corn. Read more about jaclas.

ABOUT TURQUOISE

Turquoise is associated with the sky, and bringing sky energy to earth. It is known as a master healer stone as it is believed to help speed the healing process. It is also thought that turquoise can help promote honest and clear communication from the heart.
Turquoise comes in all shades of blue, to blue-green and it is the natural variations in turquoise that make it appealing. The color of turquoise in American Indian jewelry ranges from brownish green to bright blue. Found in veins sandwiched in between layers of mother rock, turquoise can show some of the influence of the mother rock in its matrix or veining. The matrix colors range from blue to golden brown to black and sometimes with golden flecks. Many people prefer turquoise with matrix over clear stones. Read more about stones.

Corn Symbolism

Corn is the symbol of sustenance, the staff of life and is an important symbol of many Native American tribes. Corn is considered a gift from the Great Spirit so its role is both as a food and a ceremonial object. Very notably, corn is connected to the Hopi for their skill in being able to raise corn in desert sand. Corn Pollen is a blessing given for protection, understanding and forgiveness. It is used along with prayers, in house blessings, and to bless people by placing pollen on top of the head. Cornmeal, usually made from perfect ears of white corn, is considered sacred and is used to bless and nurture sacred objects such as fetishes. Read more . . .