Indian Jewelry Making (Jewelry Crafts)

Rating:
Summary: Bare Bones Bounty for making Southwestern Indian Jewelry
Review: I am an amatuer Silversmith, given basic instructions by a Navajo Sliversmith. Once a beginner has the basics then this book and the Volume II companion is easy to work from. There is no in-depth presentations in the one or two page photo instructions. Each project is laid out on one page in an excellent color photoghraph. At the top of the page the project usually starts with a short decripition of the stock silver required, with the tools pictured. Through a progression on the page, the stock silver is shown moving step-wise to the completed work. Around the border of the page are usually several different completed examples. There is a short text with each step that guides that production. The project styles seems to be mainly Navajo, with some Hopi and Zuni. This book is very traditional Indian jewelry and represents more than 50 projects or variations of design. The front of the book contains a short history in pictured period workshops from the 1870's to the present. The back part of the book has a thumb nail outline of some of the Silversmithing techniques. The spiral binding allows the pages to remain open as a visual guide as you work. I would recommend this to anyone interested in learning traditional Southwestern Indian Jewerly design and hand manufacture. Once you try out Volume I you will buy Volume II.

Rating:
Summary: Bare Bones Bounty for making Southwestern Indian Jewelry
Review: I am an amatuer Silversmith, given basic instructions by a Navajo Sliversmith. Once a beginner has the basics then this book and the Volume II companion is easy to work from. There is no in-depth presentations in the one or two page photo instructions. Each project is laid out on one page in an excellent color photoghraph. At the top of the page the project usually starts with a short decripition of the stock silver required, with the tools pictured. Through a progression on the page, the stock silver is shown moving step-wise to the completed work. Around the border of the page are usually several different completed examples. There is a short text with each step that guides that production. The project styles seems to be mainly Navajo, with some Hopi and Zuni. This book is very traditional Indian jewelry and represents more than 50 projects or variations of design. The front of the book contains a short history in pictured period workshops from the 1870's to the present. The back part of the book has a thumb nail outline of some of the Silversmithing techniques. The spiral binding allows the pages to remain open as a visual guide as you work. I would recommend this to anyone interested in learning traditional Southwestern Indian Jewerly design and hand manufacture. Once you try out Volume I you will buy Volume II.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding way to learn
Review: I learned to silversmith using this book years ago. ...This book uses very basic tools and techniques - if American Indians could create jewelry using coal and coin silver - you can certainly do it with modern equipment (propane torch) and nice, smooth sheet silver. I just re-ordered myself. This book is well known in silversmith circles and definately worth your $!

Rating:
Summary: This is NOT a 2nd volume
Review: Imagine my suprise when I ordered a copy of Volume II by this author and it is virtually identical to Volume I. There are two pairs of pages that are different -- the spoons are only in Volume II and Hopi-style jewelry is only in Volume I.

Do NOT buy both "Indian Jewelry Making" and "Indian Jewelry Making: Volume II" -- you're wasting your money.

If you're super-hot to make spoons track down Volume II -- otherwise "Indian Jewelry Making" will suffice.


Rating:
Summary: vol I and vol II ARE different, Tyler!
Review: maybe you just got a bad copy, Ty - my copies are entirely different from each other. These are great books for the inspiring silversmith. Get anther copy!

Rating:
Summary: The 2001 Edition is Vol I AND Vol II Condensed!
Review: My silversmithing teacher is having us use her copies of this book to get ideas of what we want to learn how to make. She uses these books as THE bible(s) for Native American jewelry crafting. She owns her own business and is well known and respected in the jewelry community. She has the originals of these books, where volume I and volume II are separate editions. If you buy the book and it DOESN'T say Volume I OR Volume II on the outside cover of the book (and it lists the printing as being 2001 or later), then you have the consolidated version of both books in one. So Tyler, you probably bought Volume I, and then a copy of the newer consolidated book, instead of the actual older Volume II.

This book has quite a few of the different Native American jewelry styles displayed inside, and has step-by-step photographs of how to make each one, as well as many variations for each type. Not only does it have bezel set rings, bracelets, and earrings, it shows how to do overlays and inlays. It is an outstanding book, and should be in every silversmith's library if they are at all interested in Native American style jewelry.