What is a hallmark?
A hallmark is a signature, symbol, or initials that is written, stamped or carved into the back of a work of art. This hallmark is put into the back of a work of art such as Native American Jewelry, Pottery, or other crafts to identify who crafted the work of art. Many of these works of art are also hallmarked with type of material (silver, gold, Turquoise, etc.) that the work of art was made with. When it comes to jewelry specifically, it is required by law that the silversmith or goldsmith stamp the piece with the percentage of metal in the piece. In Native American jewelry it is common to see .925 or Sterling meaning that the piece contains sterling silver which is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. In anglo jewelry and some Native American jewelry the artists may work with different kinds of gold such as 10k, 12k, 14k, 18k or 22k. This is the amount of gold that is in the metal. Some highend Silver and Gold Jewelers even put the city and or state they come from. The more information an artist hallmarks onto a piece the easier it is to find out who made the piece after it has passed through several hands. Many Native American Artists adopted this system in the mid 1950s when Indian Jewelry became more popular. In the beginning Native American jewelry hallmarks were just the initials of the artist or a symbol they loved such as an arrow or buffalo or the like. Today many artist use their full name, there initials with a symbol, or more detailed stamps or hallmarks. This is partial due to the popularity of knock off jewelry that is made in different parts of the world such as Asia. In Asia specifically there are sweat shop factories producing imitation Native American and Southwest Jewelry and those artist have adapted the common hallmarks of the older Native American artists that used their initials.
Why Artisans use hallmarks?
Artisans, including Native American artisans (especially Navajo Silversmiths) us hallmarks to help identify their work. The artisan also use hallmarks to help sell their jewelry to galleries and stores. Today many stores frown upon non - hallmarked items. Many artisans have faithful collectors and fans and the hallmarks are most appreciated by the artisans patrons. This is especially true with Native American artisans and Navajo silversmiths. So, all said and done it is a service to the buyer or collector of the artwork.
It is important to remember that a hallmarks do not always guarantee that a piece of works authenticity. As a for mentioned, there are many fakes out there. The artisans making these imitations are very skilled at imitating hallmarks and signatures. These dishonest individuals also use base metal and coat it in silver and then stamp it silver. These individuals do this with gold as well. This practice has been around since the beginning of artists and craftsman, so it is nothing new, however the imitators have gotten better at what they do.
Many times we suggest people be more concerned with the craftsmanship and materials that a piece is made with. After observing these traits in a craft or work of art, a buyer should then price check. If the price seems proper for the work of art, the buyer is happy with the craftsmanship and materials used in the piece, and feels good about the seller, than it is worth buying. This is all the general public needs to consider when purchasing art. The general public has no reason to be paying double, triple or higher price for a piece of art made by a specific artist. There are plenty of piece that are just as fine as the pieces made by prolific artisans such as Navajo Silversmiths, that are made by up and coming artists and artisans that are not concerned with becoming famous.
This really means that the only people who need to be aware of hallmarks are those who are looking to buy for investment and those who are collecting works of art by certain artists. For these individuals, they need to become experts on these artisans work. They need to know much more than the hallmark. These collectors need to know the specific styles, techniques that the artist use, and different things to look for in their works to determine if they are truly made by that artist or those artists.
