FTC FACTSfor Consumers

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FOR THE CONSUMER

Whether you’re drawn to the beauty of turquoise and silver

jewelry or the earth tone colors of Indian pottery, having some

knowledge about American Indian arts and crafts can help you

get the most for your money. Be aware that some unscrupulous

retailers want to take your money in exchange for imitation

American Indian arts and crafts.

Getting What You Pay For

Under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, any item produced after 1935

that is marketed using terms such as “Indian,” “Native American” or “Alaska

Native” must be made by a member of a State or federally-recognized tribe or a

certified Indian artisan. A certified Indian artisan is an individual who is certified

by the governing body of an Indian tribe as a non-member Indian artisan.

Under the Act, all Indian arts and crafts products must be marketed truthfully.

For example, selling products using a sign claiming “Indian Jewelry – Direct from

the Reservation to You” is a violation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act if the

jewelry was produced by someone other than a member of an Indian tribe or a

certified non-member Indian artisan. Advertising products as “Navajo Jewelry”

violates the Act if the products were produced by someone who is not a member

of the Navajo tribe or certified as a non-member Indian artisan of the Navajo tribe.

And qualifiers such as “ancestry,” “descent” and “heritage” used in connection

with the terms “Indian,” “Native American” or with the name of a particular

Indian tribe – say, “Native American heritage” or “Cherokee descent” – do not

mean that the person is a member of an Indian tribe. These terms mean that the

person is of descent, heritage or ancestry of the tribe, and are acceptable only if

they are used truthfully.

How to Buy Genuine

American Indian

Arts and Crafts

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Facts for Consumers

Buying Tips

American Indian arts and crafts are sold

through many outlets, including tourist stores,

gift shops and art galleries. Here are some tips to

help you shop wisely:

• Buy from an established dealer who will

give you a written guarantee or written

verification of authenticity.

• Ask if your item comes with a certification

tag. While not all authentic Indian arts and

crafts carry this tag, those that do are certified by the Department of the Interior (DOI)

to be genuine.

This sample tag identifies the artisan as a

member of the Oklahoma Indian Arts and Crafts

Cooperative. However, you may see a different

name and logo appearing in the circle on the item

you buy.

• Get a receipt that includes all the vital

information about the value of your purchase, including any verbal representations.

For example, if the salesperson told you that

the piece of jewelry you’re buying is sterling

silver and natural turquoise and was handmade by an American Indian artisan, insist

that this information appear on your receipt.

• Before buying Indian arts and crafts at

powwows, annual fairs, juried competitions,

and other events, check the event requirements for information about the authenticity

of the products being offered for sale. Many

events list their requirements in newspaper

ads, promotional flyers and printed programs. If the event organizers make no

statement about the authenticity of Indian

arts and crafts being offered for sale, get

written verification of authenticity for any

item you purchase that claims to be

authentic.

• Be aware that not all Indian-made items are

handmade. There are three general methods

of production, all of which are used to make

legitimate American Indian arts and crafts:

• handmade – an individual has control

over the design and quality of the craftsmanship of each piece;

• assembly line or mass-produced – a

number of individuals who may be

American Indians each do only a small

part of the work on each piece, in some

cases assembling components produced

elsewhere; and

• machine made – individuals do little, if

any, handwork.

Identifying Authentic American

Indian Jewelry

It’s not always easy to spot a counterfeit

item but price, materials, appearance, and the

seller’s guarantee of authenticity may help.

• Price – Although Indians make and sell

inexpensive souvenir-type items, authentic

high-quality Indian jewelry can be expensive.

• Type of materials – Most Indian artisans

use sterling silver complemented with

opaque stones, such as coral, onyx, shell,

turquoise, lapis lazuli, or carnelian.

• Appearance – Well-crafted jewelry has no

wavering lines or lopsided designs. If a

design is stamped into silver – the most

common metal used – the image should be

clear. Images on imitations often are blurred.

High-quality pieces use stones that are wellcut and uniform in size, and fit snugly into

their settings. The stones on imitations may

be poorly cut, leaving a large amount of

metal-colored glue visible between the stone

and the metal. Look for the artist’s “hallmark” stamped on the jewelry. Many Indian

artists use a hallmark – a symbol or signature
Facts for Consumers

– to identify their work.

• Guarantee of authenticity – A reputable

dealer will give you a written guarantee.

Shopping for American Indian

Jewelry

Whether you’re buying Indian jewelry for

yourself or someone special, take some time to

learn the terms used in its production. Keep in

mind that the value of any piece depends not only

on the materials used, but also on the quality of

craftsmanship and the harmony of the design.

Silver

Silver is the most common metal used in

American Indian jewelry.

• Sterling describes metal containing 92.5

parts silver and 7.5 parts other metal. According to the Federal Trade Commission’s

Jewelry Guides, any item marked “silver”

must be sterling.

• Coin Silver describes metal containing 90

parts silver and 10 parts other metal. It is

called “coin” because Indians melted down

pre-1900 American and Mexican coins to

make jewelry before they were able to

obtain commercially made ingots and sheet

silver.

• German Silver – also called Nickel Silver –

refers to 60 parts copper, 20 parts zinc, and

20 parts nickel. Under the FTC Jewelry

Guides, no item should be called silver, even

with a modifier such as “German” or

“Nickel,” unless it contains at least 90

percent silver. Nevertheless, you may see or

hear this term used in connection with Indian

jewelry. In particular, some Sioux and

Southern Plains Indian metalsmiths work in

this metal because it is associated with their

cultural heritage.

• Drawn Silver refers to the way sterling

sheet silver is rolled and pulled through a

drawplate to get a certain circumference. It

is then cut into tiny segments, filed and

strung into strands for necklaces. It is sometimes called “liquid silver.” A few artists

make hand-pulled silver but the majority of

liquid silver is manufactured, not handmade.

Stones

The most common stones used in American

Indian jewelry include:

• Carnelian – a translucent reddish quartz

stone.

• Coral – the hardened secretion of tiny sea

creatures. Coral ranges in color from white

and pale pink to deep reds and oranges.

• Lapis Lazuli – a rock composed chiefly of

the minerals lazurite (deep blue), pyrite

(metallic yellow) and calcite (white). The

blue stone is commonly used in modern

designs by contemporary Indian artists.

• Onyx – a translucent quartz stone which, in

its natural state, is usually gray or pale blue.

Onyx frequently is dyed black.

• Shell – the general term used for pieces of

the outer hard surface of marine animals,

particularly those of pearl oysters and

abalones. Shell may be used in silver inlay

work or may be shaped into flattened disks,

drilled and strung into necklaces known as

heishi.

• Turquoise – a copper mineral, often containing small brown or gray veins. Turquoise

ranges in color from sky-blue to greenishblue. The stone varies in hardness from soft/

somewhat porous to hard. In the U.S.,

turquoise is found in the southwestern states.

Use of turquoise from other countries is

common.

Stone Treatments

Treating refers to any alteration of the

properties or appearance of natural turquoise and

other stones, with the exception of cutting and

polishing.

• Dyeing – adding blue dye to low-grade

turquoise, and adding black to gray or pale

blue onyx, to enhance the stone’s appearance.

• Reconstitution – pulverizing fragments of

turquoise, coral or lapis lazuli into powder.
Federal Trade Commission

Bureau of Consumer Protection

Office of Consumer and Business Education

September 2000

Produced in cooperation with the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior

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Facts for Consumers

The powder is mixed with epoxy and

worked into cakes or stones, which are used

just like natural stones.

• Stabilizing – injecting clear, colorless

acrylics into low- to medium-grade turquoise to toughen and harden the stone and

enhance its color. Stabilizing is the most

advanced and sophisticated method of

treating turquoise. The majority of turquoise

used today is stabilized. Natural gem-quality

turquoise is usually only used by top artists

and commands much higher prices than

stabilized turquoise.

For More Information

To learn more about American Indian arts

and crafts, contact:

• Indian Arts and Crafts Association,

P.O. Box 29780, Santa Fe, NM 87592-9780;

505-265-9149; www.iaca.com

• Your local library or museums

• Publications that focus on American

Indian art:

Indian Trader (newspaper), P.O. Box

1421, Gallup, NM 87305; 505-722-6694

Indian Country Today (newspaper),

1920 Lombardy Drive, Rapid City, SD

57703; 605-341-0011

Native Peoples (magazine), 5333

North 7th Street, Suite C-224, Phoenix,

AZ 85014-2804; 602-265-4855

American Indian Art Magazine, 7314

East Osborn Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85251;

480-994-5445

Where to Complain

• The FTC works for the consumer to prevent

fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business

practices in the marketplace and to provide

information to help consumers spot, stop and

avoid them. To file a complaint, or to get

free information on any of 150 consumer

topics, call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP

(1-877-382-4357), or use the complaint form

at www.ftc.gov. The FTC enters Internet,

telemarketing, and other fraud-related

complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a

secure, online database available to hundreds

of civil and criminal law enforcement

agencies worldwide.

• The Indian Arts and Crafts Board receives

and refers valid complaints about violations

of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 to

the FBI for investigation and to the Department of Justice for legal action. To file a

complaint under the Act, or to get free

information about the Act, contact the Indian

Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of

the Interior, 1849 C Street, N.W.,

MS 4004-M1B, Washington, D.C. 20240;

202-208-3773; www.iacb.doi.gov.

Complaints to the IACB must be in writing

and include the following information:

• The name, address and telephone number of

the seller.

• A description of the art or craft item.

• How the item was offered for sale.

• What representations were made about the

item. Include any claims that the item was

made by a member of a particular tribe or

statements about its authenticity.

• Any other documentation, such as advertisements, catalogs, business cards, photos, or

brochures. Include copies (NOT originals)

of documents that support your position.