Pawn Jewelry- Navajo heart dangle earrings

Navajo handcrafted dangle earrings. Featuring a raised silver heart with a scalloped edge hanging from a red spiny oyster shell. The unique design has detailed stamping throughout. Thier is a small flaw in one of the silver hearts that add a little character to the earrings. They have a silver post and backing.

 It comes attached to its original red pawn ticket.The term "pawn" refers to jewelry that has been pawned to brokers. The practice of pawning jewelry began in the early 1900s when Native Americans and traders would exchange jewelry for food and other necessities, it is still used today and is embedded in the Navajo culture. 

Material: Sterling silver, spiny oyster shell and turquoise

Tribe affiliation: Navajo

Time period: current 

Overall measurements : 1-7/8" in length and  7/8" maximum width (all measurements are approximate)