Perry Null Trading

Its all a ReMix anyway, right?

If you read your Navajo jewelry history you find out that the Navajo was taught how to make silver by Mexican silversmiths. This event takes place when New Mexico is a US territory, and only within a couple of years of being ceded by Mexico. Technically its not even possible to say the Navajo invented their own jewelry craft.

New Mexico is Native American

Lets start with some facts. New Mexico is home to the 2nd largest American Indian population calculated as a percentage to the entire state’s population. Much of that population is the proud people of the Navajo Nation. Lets not forget that the majority of that reservation lies in Arizona, and so if you added that you would be looking at the largest American Indian population. This leads to a great wealth of Native American art!
The Navajo Nation observes daylight savings. It does this because New Mexico observes daylight savings, instead of following Arizona, which does not follow it. The reason is simple, it is because Gallup, New Mexico plays a vital role to the people living on the Reservation and is the main servicing town to the Navajo Nation.

Gallup, New Mexico has two types of Wholesale Businesses for Native American Art

If you are driving across the country and find yourself in the middle of nowhere with an almost empty tank of gas and you come across a service station (the only station for hundred of miles) you pay their price. Their price per gallon could be significantly higher than you just paid 300 miles ago, but you are happy to have the service and fuel. Now, we know that you would never pay that price if you had another lower cost choice. However, this gas station has the luxury of exclusivity. When it comes to Native American art in Gallup, New Mexico business is fierce and prices are driven down by competition.

Gallup, New Mexico has a fascinating history with the Navajo, Zuni, & Hopi peoples. It is a trading center for all three of these Native American Reservations. Many families which were early settlers in this area are still here today. The Kamps family is one of these with a rich local history. This family has done mission work, healed the sick and delivered many new Gallupians, and taught generations of children. Roland Kamps was my teacher for 8th Grade History. He came into the Trading Post to show Perry some rugs his father had owned, and he wanted to sell.

Perry Null Trading Company, which was formerly the Tobe Turpen Trading Company, has been associated with Gallup, New Mexico since the 1930s. It's the perfect stop for your Native American Art Tour Bus Group when visiting this scenic and historic area.

The Darling Darlene Turquoise mine was a small mine in Northern Nevada which produced a beautiful turquoise. Colors from the mine ranged from green to blue green and from a light blue to a deep blue. Discovered by Joe Barredo in 1972 and named for a daughter, the mine was never more than a few man operation and production was low. In the early 1980’s the Darling Darlene was leased by Erman Blossom and a partner. Today the area is involved in gold production.

BE CAREFUL! People Sell Fake Art

Navajo silversmiths don’t own the rights to turquoise and silver jewelry. Just like the Amish don’t own the rights to wooden furniture. However, what they do own the rights to is calling their work authentic Indian Handmade, and that is where the injustices are made by con artist jewelry businesses who represent their merchandise as Indian Handmade when it's really fake art from a factory overseas.

The Navajo squash blossom necklace is maybe the most recognizable Native American piece of wearable art. 

Navajo silversmith Vernon Tracy shares with us some of the steps it takes to turn coin silver into a piece of wearable art, the hammered coin silver jewelry.

Old photo of Tobe Turpen's trading post

The photo displayed to the left was taken in 1900 at the original sight of Gallup, New Mexico Trading Post: Tobe Turpen's Trading Post and shows John Lorenzo Hubbell, the owner, pictured in the center wearing a dark suit and hat. The counter shown in this photo was moved to the current Tobe Turpen's Trading Post on Second Street in Gallup NM and can be seen there today.

The turquoise that comes out of Tibet today is usually antique material and is of a medium to dark green nature, do to the natural oils from being worn overtime. Tibetan turquoise usually has a strong black matrix. This fine blue material has been available, though rare in today’s market. The Tibetans considered turquoise to be a powerful stone and many wear it for the good fortune in brings. The Tibetan people have worn turquoise in every form. There has been little information concerning the mining of Tibetan turquoise. Both Pogue and Branson in their books on turquoise list four areas were turquoise has been found. Because of Tibetan turquoise’s antique nature and strong color the cabochons and beads of this material make fine jewelry especially when set in gold.

The Harcross turquoise group of mines, reportedly discovered by Otto Taubert in 1908, is located in Lyon County, Nevada. Taubert, while looking for gold, found turquoise deposits in the area. He later sold his group of claims to Walter Godber, of the famed Godber-Burnham mine. Godber had come to Nevada from Los Angeles and these were his first Nevada claims. He went on to later operate a number of turquoise properties throughout the State. After over $50,000 worth of turquoise was produced mining stopped at this group of mines as Godber’s attention and resources were required at his other mines.