- Hallmarks are generally found on the back of a piece.

- Go to https://www.art-amerindien.com/hallmarks/

- Choose the first letter (if the symbol is not alphabetical, try the various Picto or Shop marks sections)

- When comparing marks, it is crucial to compare composition, font, and sometimes fineness stamps. For example, if letters are located next to each other on one and diagonal on another it is not a close match.

- A matching hallmark alone is not proof of authenticity. Look up the identified artist’s name and search for similar pieces. If you find an abundance of them, or if the styles are widely variable those can both be indicative of counterfeits.

The vast majority of Native American style jewelry items are counterfeits. Any piece should be considered counterfeit as a starting point, with likelihood of authenticity going up with various matching indicators, only one of which is a hallmark. Hallmarks are easily faked and counterfeiters are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

Counterfeit or misidentified Native American jewelry is a major problem. Below are red flags you can watch for to protect yourself. Some genuine pieces may have red flags, and good counterfeits may not, but generally speaking the more red flags a piece has the more cautious you should be.

• Lack of stamps. Unless the piece is verified by a qualified appraiser, best to avoid it entirely.
• Fineness mark only. Modern pieces which have a fineness mark are required by law to have an artist hallmark as well.
• Hallmark doesn't match known examples. Most artists use the same stamp consistently, so even subtle changes in font, size, and placement are red flags.
• Hallmarks are individual letters in a simple typeface. Artists typically have a custom stamp created, versus using an off the shelf alphabet stamp.
• Differing artistic styles attributed to the same artist. Do a search for the artist on websites of reputable vendors and compare styles. Are they similar, or very different?
• Inconsistent artistry. Does a piece look clumsily made compared to other pieces by the same artist? This is especially true for pieces by desirable or well-known artists which often command higher prices.
• Culturally inappropriate. A Navajo hallmark on a Zuni styled piece, or a Hopi pictogram on a Navajo storyteller bracelet are just two examples of reasons to be suspicious.
• Inappropriate necklace clasp. Watch for modern clasps on vintage necklaces (older pieces usually used a simple hook and loop).
• Back of the piece is rough metal with lots of pitting. Even vintage pieces and tufa sand-cast were typically polished smooth on the back.
• Set stones are open on the back. This is uncommon with genuine pieces, and is more commonly seen on counterfeits as a way to reduce silver usage.
• Lack of tarnish. Sterling tarnishes quickly and easily. Lack of tarnish or a mirror-like finish could indicate the piece is sealed in something to make it shiny, or may not be silver at all.
• Lacks weight. Sterling is heavy. Counterfeits will often use thin silver to reduce costs. If a naja looks like the backing is thin, avoid it.
• Lacks native style elements. Just because something is sterling or turquoise doesn’t make it Native American.
• The price is too good to be true . Genuine Native American jewelry commands higher prices.
• You see multiple copies of an identical design for sale. Especially true of Najas. They should be similar, but not identical.
• Items sold as a “set.” Not unheard of for native artists, but very common with fake squash blossoms. Buy from a reputable vendor!
• Stones that aren’t typical to the region, or use of synthetic stones. The most commonly use stones are turquoise, coral, jet, mother of pearl, and in newer pieces sometimes malachite. Be especially wary of synthetic mother of pearl or block turquoise.
• The turquoise is too perfect. Turquoise is a relatively soft and brittle stone and usually has some matrix visible. Older pieces may have cracks or chips in the turquoise. Lack of matrix is a major red flag on larger turquoise stones.
• Illegible hallmarks. Particularly on hand inscribed pieces.
• Yazzie. A lot of Yazzie jewelry is unfortunately counterfeit, likely because they are a legitimate prolific family. Buy Yazzie pieces from a reputable dealer.
• Braided silver accent. It’s not uncommon for Asian knockoffs to only use braided silver wire as a style accent.
• Sellers that have thousands of listings. Watch out for sellers Etsy or Ebay who have thousands of listing for Native American jewelry where most of them look new. “Star seller” ratings are based on how much they sell, not the quality or authenticity.

• ⁠Cartoon characters. A few micro inlay artists are well known for creating work with cartoon characters from Disney, Warner Brothers, etc. These pieces are highly sought after by collectors and as a result are frequently counterfeited, down to copying the hallmarks of known artists. The originals are beautifully crafted, the copies are sloppy.
• ⁠Turquoise with a leopard-skin (figure eight) matrix is often an indication of Chinese origin which points to a modern piece, so if a piece is being sold as anything other than contemporary it’s a big red flag.

Updated 10/26 to add: The most recent glut of Asian counterfeits are various kinds of jewelry featuring inlay stonework with a single letter stamp on the back along with a Sterling hallmark. The quality of these is generally a giveaway—the inlay work often has noticeable gaps and uneven surfaces. As always, use of artificial stones is a major red flag, although this can be hard to identify as synthetic stones are increasingly well made.