Paging Kachina26

kachina has recommended the books by the Lowrys:

Turquoise Unearthed: An Illustrated Guide by Joe Dan Lowry and Joe P. Lowry

Turquoise: The World Story of a Fascinating Gemstone by Joe Dan Lowry and Joe P Lowry

I have ""Turquoise Unearthed"" by the Lowrys and it's a nice little book to have for reference. I also have one called ""The Allure of Turquoise"" which is a compilation of articles from New Mexico magazine and is very interesting w/ beautiful color pictures and a map of the mines. I got both of these from amazon in recent years. Always happy to discuss turquoise ( it's my birthstone too which is nice!)

Also, Haca, if you're interested in the history of silversmithing and the diff. jewelry made by the Navajo and the pueblo tribes of the southwest, as well as the use of turquoise in this jewelry, you might try "Fine Indian Jewelry of the Southwest: The Millicent Rogers Museum Collection" by Shelby Tisdale. This was another amazon find and is a really interesting and beautiful book. I've been to NM numerous times but not to Taos where this museum is located...I hope to someday be able to get there! For now, I do enjoy reading all about these things (have always had an interest in it and I blame it on my grandparents who traveled "out west" as we called it as kids growing up in the east...they used to bring back all sorts of trinkets for us kids as souvenirs...little turquoise crosses and rings and bracelets and all sorts of loose rocks, etc.), and I enjoy getting to Santa Fe and ABQ since our son is in school in ABQ at UNM...hope this helps!

Hi Haca and all, I usually recommend the Lowry books because they are large, inexpensive paperbacks with beautiful pictures. Joe Dan knows his stuff and does a lot of cutting and polishing of stones. He speaks from a cutter's point of view which is always interesting. For instance, as I've mentioned before, Bisbee often has a lavender cast to it. When cut, they say the water from the cutting wheel is often blood red. He owns and operates the Turquoise Museum where I've talked to him several times.

Hazel, the Millicent Rogers Collection has wonderful old-style Indian jewelry, often huge pieces. The lady could really pick the jewelry. There is a biography of her that makes for good reading. She was a fashion icon of her time and a beautiful woman. Have you been to the Turquoise Museum? If not, definitely put it on your bucket list. It's in a strip shopping center across Rio Grande Blvd. from Old Town.

I don't think most people know about the Taos group. The ringleader was Mabel Dodge Luhan who was a heiress to the Dodge fortune who married a Taos Pueblo Indian, Tony Luhan. don't you know that was a sensation at the time? The group included all types of creative people who were in and out of Mabel's home. They included Georgia O'Keefe, Walt Whitman & his wife, Millicent Rogers and many others. Mabel's bio is also a good read. These were such interesting people and outside of the area, I don't think much, if anything, is known about them.

kachina624, this is all so interesting! I am reading up on some of these things as an extension of the book on the museum collection and you are right, those were some unusual people and unusual times and Taos was (and still is I imagine!) such an unusual place. You are fortunate to live in New Mexico...I think it is a beautiful state and the intersection of the Spanish, Mexican and the diff. Indian cultures is so rich and interesting to me. I love it when we're down there, good food, good shopping, sooooooooooo much history...I just soak it all up. So diff. in the southwest than it is up here in the extreme northwest (live in MT and have for a long time...again, I blame this on my grandparents who must've put these seeds in my head as a young child so many years ago! GO WEST must've somehow gotten ingrained We haven't been to the turquoise museum in ABQ and should definitely go as we have been to old town several times and love the old church there, etc. Thanx for the tip!

Hello Hazel and Kachina...OMG what a wealth of information. I thank you!!!! I was gone all afternoon - working on an old house restoration project (Jug and Kathoderay follow this on FB) and didn't look at my phone because I was literally dripping in paint. )

Of course, the books will be on my list. Yes, yes, yes Hazel I am so interested in the silver and turquoise work by the Navajo and pueblo tribes of the Southwest. That's another one on my list. I caught the bug early in my twenties. Being German we like anything Native American and their history, their traditions and crafts. I traveled with a German friend via Greyhound (oh yes - like I said was very young and didn't have much money) throughout the US but we spent a lot of time in the Southwest, including visits to a reservation. (San Felipe I think - need to check my scrap books.) I bought relatively inexpensive turquoise and silver jewelry back then. I also like Georgia O'Keefe - have a number of books, including her biography. Kachina, the information about the Taos group is very interesting and I'll look into that. The museums you and Hazel mentioned are now on my bucket list. Our fairly new Smithsonian one is not shabby either and I like going there. It tells the story from a NA point of view.

Thanks again - feeling quite overwhelmed but happy.