Fetish Carving Necklace Appraisal

Southwestern Style Turquoise Fetish Horse Necklace

This is a single-strand Southwestern-style fetish necklace featuring numerous hand-carved horse figures made from sky-blue turquoise. The piece consists of a series of smaller horse fetishes, likely measuring between 0.5 to 0.75 inches each, strung along the length of the cord. Centered at the bottom is a significantly larger horse focal pendant, approximately 1.5 to 2 inches in width, which displays delicate etched details along the body and a hint of gold-toned or brown matrix typical of genuine turquoise stone. The stone's color is a vibrant cyan with natural variations and small inclusions, suggesting it may be Sleeping Beauty or similar high-quality Southwestern turquoise. The fetish figures are drilled through the center and separated by small turquoise heishe or round beads. The craftsmanship reflects traditional Zuni or Navajo jewelry-making techniques, often produced from the mid to late 20th century (circa 1970s-1990s). The condition appears to be excellent for its age, with no visible chips or significant fractures to the delicate carvings, though minor surface patina and dust are present in the crevices. The stringing seems intact, though the clasp is not visible in the provided image. This style of 'animal fetish' jewelry is highly collectible and valued for the density of the hand-carved elements and the quality of the stone material.