Old Pawn Turquoise

Necklaces of Heishe, Nuggets & Tabs Plus Joclas  

Scroll down to find our selection of 1940-50's collectible turquoise necklaces.  These old pawn turquoise necklaces are also called "dead pawn".  They are strung on cotton cord with the string twisted around forming a comfortable band at the back of the necklace.  Due to the fact that these necklaces were actually worn by Indians of the Southwest and are over fifty years old, there is some wear-and-tear to some of the bands.  Please view the close-up photographs.

This type of necklace is called the "traditional Navajo necklace" although it was made and worn first by the Pueblo Indians, inherited by them from their ancestors of pre-historic times.  Read more on the history of turquoise here.

The Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande Valley have been the principle turquoise bead makers to the Indian nation for centuries.  The Zuni have also been bead makers.  Beads are made by flattening turquoise pieces on both sides before drilling.  They used to be drilled using an old pump drill such as illustrated on our Home page.  Now most of it is drilled with electric drills.

Bead making is often a family affair with the wife doing the drilling and the husband the cutting and polishing.  The children, if old enough can string the beads.

These turquoise necklaces have been very popular with the Navajo for a long time.  It is shown being worn by both men and women in the earliest pictures taken of Indians in the southwest.  Today it is worn by all Indians of the American southwest.   

Turquoise necklaces have been an important trade item, together with the "joclas", for the Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande Valley.  Joclas are short strands of turquoise heishe, often adorned with some shell or coral at the bottom.  These were originally made as earrings, but were tied to a necklace when not in use.    

Some of the strands are strung with shell heishe beads.  "Heishe" is a Pueblo Indian word meaning shell. With the shell heishe are added pieces, or tabs, of turquoise and white or red shell.   

Multi-strand necklaces of  beads and nuggets represent one of the finest way to wear turquoise and show it off in its purest form.

  We offer a restringing service for old and/or broken necklaces.

 

 

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old pawn turquoise tab and shell necklace

#TN105

Superb 4-strand Old Pawn Turquoise and Shell Heishe "Tab" necklace, 32" long.  $695

 

 

old pawn turquoise and heishe necklace

#TN100

Beautiful 3-strand  Turquoise and White Shell Heishe necklace, 28 inches long.  $395

 
Old pawn turquoise necklace with joclas

#TN104

Exquisite 2-strand old pawn Turquoise Nugget Bead & Heishe necklace with White Shell and pair of Joclas, 28" long plus 6" joclas in superb condition.  $650

 

old pawn turquoise and heishe necklace

#TN123

28 inch light-weight single strand turquoise tab necklace with shell heishe.  $149

 

old pawn turquoise and heishe necklace

#TN122

Two strand tab necklace with white shell heishe and turquoise stones in shades of blues and greens.  Large nuggets at bottom of necklace hang asymmetrically.  Tabs are up to 1 1/4" in length, necklace is 26" long. $325

 

old pawn turquoise and heishe necklace

#TN125

Excellent condition 3 strand old pawn turquoise and shell necklace with wonderful shades of blue and green in the stones.  28" long.  With 5 1/2" long joclas $675, without joclas $525

 

 

old pawn turquoise joclas

old pawn turquoise and heishe necklace

#TN110

Substantial 3 strand with nuggets ranging in size from 1/2" to 1".29" long.  $450

old pawn turquoise and heishe necklace

#TN111

Very pretty 2 strand, mostly heishe and colors are fairly uniform sky blue in color.  Turquoise heishe is mostly 5/16" in diameter. 28" long. $345

 

old pawn turquoise and heishe necklace

#TN114

3 strands of shell and turquoise in colors of mostly pale olive green with a few sky blue nuggets which average 1/" in size.  No "squaw" wrapping remains in the back.  Nuggets are 3/8" to 3/4" in size. 30" long as is.  $475

old pawn turquoise and heishe necklace

#TN112

Two strand old pawn turquoise and shell heishe necklace in excellent condition.  28" long.  Nuggets range in size from 3/4" to 3/8".  $369

old pawn turquoise and heishe necklace

 

#TN113

Chunky 2 strand.  Although polished these tabs have a rough nature to them.  Very organic looking with nice variation of color.  Nuggets range from 3/4" to 3/8" in size.  Necklace is 28" long.  $369


 

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