How to Date a Squash Blossom Necklace
To date a squash blossom necklace, read its construction: bead size and weight, how the bead halves were joined, the form of the naja, and whether the blossoms carry stones. The type itself appeared only after about 1880, per Adair; heavy plain beads point earlier, while light small-bead strands with stone-set blossoms reflect the later trader-encouraged market. No single tell is conclusive — dating is a convergence of clues.
Mateo's Field Notes
The starting point is the documented birth of the form. Adair is direct: "The best-known type of necklace... which is called the squash-blossom necklace, probably did not come into existence until sometime after 1880." Washington Matthews, observing Navajo smiths just before 1880, did not mention beads of this shape at all. (Adair 1944, ~p. 56) So a squash blossom necklace claimed as "1860s" contradicts the primary record — the earliest silver-bead necklaces carried a naja without blossoms.
The blossom form itself is a dating anchor. Arthur Woodward, quoted by Adair, identified the blossoms as "originally Spanish-Mexican trouser and jacket ornaments . . . which were fashioned to resemble the pomegranate." (Adair 1944, ~p. 56) Rosnek and Stacey add that "The squash-blossom bead, most authorities agree, was copied from Mexican smiths, who modeled theirs on the shape of the pomegranate. The term squash-blossom was probably coined by an Anglo trader," and note the petal-like additions "can be three, four, or even five in number." (Rosnek & Stacey 1976)
Bead construction narrows the window. Adair concluded the Navajo likely learned to solder two hemispheres into one bead during the 1870s, and that "The first beads of this type were large, unornamented, and round. From the simple round beads, others more complicated in form, such as the fluted beads and the oval ones, were developed. Dimes and quarters were sometimes fastened by a shank to the necklaces and interspersed with beads." (Adair 1944, ~pp. 55–56) Large, heavy, plain round beads are consistent with earlier work; fluted and oval beads mark a developed stage; coin-decorated strands sit in the era before the c. 1890 restriction on defacing U.S. coinage. Rosnek documents the hand process itself — a flat disc cusped "into a hemispheric mold or female die," the flat edge ground on sandstone to match its mate, the halves strung on wire, bound, and soldered, then filed and polished. (Rosnek & Stacey 1976) Those seams, punch holes, and file marks are what you look for; see identifying handmade silver beads for the full checklist.
The naja evolves, too. Bedinger observes that most najas on early horse trappings are single, "which would indicate that this was the first form the Navajo made," with double-armed najas following, and the triple-armed naja appearing as elaboration increased. Decoration runs "from none in the beginning, through simple file markings and stamps" to elaborate constructions. (Bedinger 1973, ~p. 73) A simple single-arm naja with file decoration reads earlier than a triple-armed, stamp-decorated one — on the whole necklace, the naja should agree with the beads.
Weight and stones flag the tourist-era shift. By Adair's writing in the early 1940s, "The traders have encouraged the smiths to make strands of small beads which are much lighter in weight than those they formerly made," with double or triple strands of small beads and stone-set blossoms — a use of stones Adair attributes to Zuni influence. (Adair 1944, ~p. 57) Light strands, small beads, and turquoise-set blossoms point to the twentieth-century commercial market rather than the early period. For the broader era framework — coin silver, sheet silver, findings — see Dating Southwest Silver by Construction.
Collector's Handbook: Dating Checks for a Squash Blossom Necklace
- Form before 1880 is a contradiction. The squash blossom necklace type postdates about 1880 in the documented record. Claims of earlier dates need extraordinary evidence.
- Weigh it in the hand. Early beads were large, heavy, and plain. Light small-bead strands reflect the later trader-driven market.
- Look at the bead seams. Hand-made beads are two soldered hemispheres — look for the seam line, hand-punched stringing holes, and file marks. Uniform seamless beads suggest machine manufacture.
- Count the blossom petals and parts. Documented hand construction builds the blossom in separate soldered parts with three to five petal elements; crisp cast-in-one blossoms are a later production shortcut.
- Read the naja. Single-arm, file-decorated najas are the earliest documented form; double and triple arms mark increasing elaboration. Naja and beads should tell the same story.
- Stones on the blossoms lean later. Stone-set blossom bases are documented as a twentieth-century development under Zuni influence, not a feature of the early type.
References
- Adair, John. The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths. University of Oklahoma Press, 1944. ~pp. 55–57 (squash blossom origin, Woodward pomegranate identification, bead development, trader-era changes); ~pp. 103–104 (observed bead construction).
- Rosnek, Carl, and Joseph Stacey. Skystone and Silver: The Collector's Book of Southwest Indian Jewelry. Prentice-Hall, 1976. (squash-blossom bead origin and hand construction).
- Bedinger, Margery. Indian Silver: Navajo and Pueblo Jewelers. University of New Mexico Press, 1973. ~p. 73 (naja form evolution).
Related Entries
The form's full story: Squash Blossom Necklace. The pendant: The Naja. Construction-era dating in depth: Dating Jewelry by Construction. Bead identification: Handmade Navajo Pearls. Age questions in general: How Old Is My Jewelry? Collectors looking for documented squash blossom necklaces can browse the squash blossom collection at tskies.com →