Native American
Selling Native American Jewelry, Pottery & Rugs in Southern California
I Buy It buys Navajo rugs and blankets, Southwest silver and turquoise jewelry, Pueblo pottery, and basketry. The single biggest factor in value is authenticity confirmed by construction — a handwoven wool rug or a hallmarked silver piece by a known maker sells far above mass-produced tourist goods in the same style.
What we buy
- Navajo rugs and blankets
- Southwest silver and turquoise jewelry, including Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi work
- Pueblo pottery
- Basketry
A large Navajo rug sold for $10,000 in 2024. See recent results.
How to tell if it’s valuable
- A rug is handwoven wool, reversible, and has no backing. Early date, fine weave, natural dyes, and a desirable regional style all raise value.
- Jewelry is signed or hallmarked by a known maker, with substantial silver and good turquoise. Known-maker and early work command premiums over unsigned tourist pieces.
- Pottery is signed or attributable, traditionally fired, with strong form. Signature and condition matter more than decoration alone.
- The piece is intact, without major damage or heavy restoration.
How to identify it
- Rugs. Lay the piece flat and look at both sides. Authentic Navajo rugs are wool, reversible, and woven edge-to-edge with no backing and no fringe. The weave is slightly irregular.
- Jewelry hallmarks. Check the back or the inside of the piece. Marks may be initials, pictorial symbols, or full names. Many hallmarks are difficult to attribute without a reference.
- Shop marks. Trading-post stamps also appear on some jewelry.
- Pottery. Check the base for a signature. Look at clay color, slip, and firing. Traditionally fired pottery is preferred over molded tourist ware.
- Rugs are usually unsigned. Attribution comes from weave, materials, and pattern.
What usually isn’t valuable
- Machine-made rugs with a backing or applied fringe. These are not handwoven Navajo and have limited resale.
- Mass-produced or imported “Native-style” jewelry, typically plated or nickel silver with imitation turquoise. Ordinary tourist goods are outside what we buy.
- Heavily restored pottery, or rugs with major damage and no documentation. Both reduce buyer interest.
How to photograph it for an evaluation
- Rugs: full piece laid flat, both sides, a close-up of the weave, and close-ups of any damage or repairs
- Jewelry: full piece, plus close-ups of hallmarks and stones
- Pottery: full piece, the base, and any signature
Common questions
How do I know if my Navajo rug is handwoven?
Turn it over. A handwoven Navajo rug is wool, reversible, and woven edge-to-edge with no backing and no fringe, and the weave is slightly irregular.
What makes one Navajo rug worth more than another?
Age, weave quality, dyes, regional style, size, and condition. Finer, earlier weaves with natural dyes in a desirable style bring the most.
My jewelry has initials on the back. Can you identify the maker?
Send a close-up. Many Southwest hallmarks are initials or pictorial marks, and some are hard to attribute without a reference, but the mark is the starting point.
Is unsigned turquoise jewelry worth sending?
It can be, if the silver is substantial and the turquoise is good. Documented makers bring the strongest premiums, and unsigned tourist pieces trade much lower.
Does a repair ruin a piece of pottery?
Heavy restoration without documentation reduces buyer interest. Tell us what was done and send photos of the area.
Related: Antiques, Jewelry & Watches
Send photos through the form on our site, by email, or by text. We respond within 24 hours. We serve Southern California: Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Diego County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County.
Have Native American pieces?
Send photos of the piece, the weave or hallmarks, and any damage.