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| Recent Developments |
Guy Berger has revised Lillian Peaster's book Pueblo Pottery Families. This 3rd edition will be available in Mid to late April.
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| Did You Know...? |
There are six very important Zuni Pueblo animal fetishes. The White Wolf is the guardian of the east, the Eagle is the guardian of the upper regions, the Mole is the guardian of the lower regions, the Mountain Lion is the guardian of the North, the Black Bear is the guardian of the West and the Badger is the guardian of the south.
The Pueblo Storyteller doll is a relatively new creation, dating only to 1963 when Helen Cordero of Cochiti Pueblo decided to create a figurine that reminded her of her Grandfather telling her stories of the old Indian ways.
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| Palms Personal Shopper Database |
We are proud to announce the completion of an automated database that tracks all of your personal requests quickly and easily.
This unique system allows us to input your personal preferences, such as specific artists or pieces of Indian art, then promptly contact you when those items arrive in our store.
We invite you to send our Personal Shoppers your specific requests via e-mail or by calling our toll free number, 1-800-748-1656.
Palms Trading Company will provide you with the most up-to-date and friendly service of anyone in our industry. Let us help you find that special piece!
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| Customer Service and Feedback |
| We always appreciate hearing from our readers. Please use this link to send us your feedback or ask us a question. |
| Tell-A-Friend About Palms |
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| Message from Guy |
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Guy Berger: Owner
Palms Trading Company |
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A good friend and fellow trader and I were visiting the other day, talking about many things concerning the Pueblo pottery business. As we talked, one thing in particular stood out in my mind for several days afterward. The subject of my concern was the fact that so many of our potters have either passed on or are not producing much of their craft any more. We cited examples from many of the Pueblos of New Mexico as well as the Hopis in Arizona.
I have been associated with Palms for virtually my entire life, the last 20 years as owner. During that time I’ve seen many changes, but none that struck me with the force of the aforementioned conversation. Whether we’re talking about wedding vases from Santa Clara, traditional canteens from Acoma or beautiful cylinders form Hopi, the situation is the same throughout. There are just not as many fine pieces to be had.
What are we to think about this inevitable passage of time? How do we encourage the young people to continue this wonderful craft? What should collectors be aware of as time goes on? Here are a few of my thoughts.
There is nothing we can do, obviously, about the passage of time but I think this gives us a reason to more fully appreciate not only the lovely pieces that have been created over the past 20 years or longer, but to have a deeper appreciation of what is to come. We must not take for granted the vision, time and craftsmanship that is put into each and every fine piece of Pueblo pottery.
Younger potters seem to be fewer and fewer these days but have incredible talent to deliver very fine work. Palms Trading Company encourages these artists by buying their work on a continual basis, even when we know there is more potential for improvement. As consumers, we think you should be paying attention to the progress of these young potters by asking us for our opinions as to who the “up-and-comers” are.
Collectors purchasing these early edition pieces could make their collecting experience even more fulfilling by keeping track of certain artists as they progress. Finally, please realize that although price is important, the creativity, beauty and pleasure each piece possesses is far more significant than cost concerns. Let us all be more appreciative of the Magic of Southwest Art this is, and has for so long, been right before our eyes.
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Educating the World:
Authentic Indian Jewelry
By Diana Berger
Over the past few months, members of the Palms staff have had the pleasure of attending various trade shows in Dallas, Denver and Phoenix. These shows have given us some very interesting insight as to the effect of culture on societal views of handmade products, particularly in different areas of the country. During these shows, many buyers unfamiliar with this type of handmade jewelry believed it to be of the fake, plastic or costume variety. While it is understandable that people in other areas of the country make this mistake, seeing as how many plastic and costume versions are sold throughout the country’s large retail chains, we believe it is also important to provide some education regarding the value of the exquisite pieces in our inventory. |
While it is tempting to draw a comparison between gold jewelry, as it has always been associated with higher value, and handmade Native American jewelry, these two types of work cannot be contrasted, for a few reasons. Gold jewelry, commonly mass produced, necessitates identical, if not very similar pieces. Additionally, jewelry retailers specializing in gold often deal with middlemen, such as manufacturers, rather than directly with the source or creator of the jewelry.
While the people of New Mexico are familiar with the type of jewelry Palms has become known to offer, others in different cultural situations and markets can easily be misguided by their familiarity of these items, primarily consisting of those found in large department stores. The value of our pieces, though, differs significantly from similar pieces found elsewhere. In addition to the jump in the market value of silver from 12 to 20 dollars in the past few months, the use of coral, with its limited availability, as well as turquoise from mines that no longer produce, add greatly to the value of each piece. Moreover, the stone and silverwork, in addition to the time it takes for an artist to sculpt and create a single piece, contribute immensely. Most importantly, rather than receiving these pieces from a manufacturer, we deal directly with artists on a day to day basis, acquiring only the most unique and one of a kind items. Therefore, the inimitable nature of these works of art significantly contributes to their value.
Over the past 75 years, Palms has and will continue to bring you authentic Native American jewelry at prices that can’t be beat. Palms is proud to provide you the comfort of knowing your purchases are genuine, Native American made pieces.
Artist Spotlight: Gwen TafoyaBy Ray Lopez
Gwen Tafoya of the Santa Clara Pueblo has been creating beautiful pieces of pottery since 1981. Gwen’s pottery most often consists of finely etched roses, hummingbirds and butterflies. She often includes small turquoise stones in her work, depicting the eyes of her etched animals. Her polish is always a nice deep black, and she has the unique ability to fire specific areas of her pottery so that they carry a reddish-orange tint. This is a very difficult undertaking, as the color of the piece is determined by the type of manure used and the duration of firing; however, Gwen has mastered this complex art. Her pieces are very recognizable, as they are unique and inimitable. Gwen, taught by her mother Mary Agnes Tafoya, has won awards at the Gallup Intertribal Ceremonials, as well as the New Mexico State Fair and the Eight Northern Pueblo Show. Her favorite aspect of pottery making is etching and polishing her one-of-a-kind pieces.
Whenever she walks into our store, Gwen lights up the pottery room with her sparkling, one-in-a-million personality. She constantly has a smile on her face and is always willing to give a friendly hug. She has a wonderful sense of humor and is a very good friend of ours who is loyal, sweet and kind-hearted. These, however, are just some of the qualities she continually brings to our store. Gwen’s personality is depicted in her stunning pottery, relaying a fine attention to detail and a love for her craft. Her laugh is contagious, and I always try to get at least one good laugh from her whenever she comes in. Gwen has four daughters: Margaret, Dolores, Rachel and Samantha. Margaret and Dolores are following in her footsteps, while Rachel and Samantha are still in high school. Gwen is a wonderful mother, always sacrificing her time to raise her daughters the best she possibly can. Working with wonderful, animated artists like Gwen brings a sense of enjoyment to our work here at Palms that cannot be found anywhere else.
To view some of Gwen’s fine work, click here.
Jessica in JewelryBy Diana Berger
I’d like to take the time to introduce you to one of our newest employees, Jessica Gallegos. Jessica has been working at Palms since September 2007 and we are happy to have her as a part of the Palms family.
Born in New Mexico, Jessica attended La Cueva high school and graduated in 2003. She is not currently enrolled in college courses but is considering attending nursing school. Jessica’s interests include singing in her church choir, writing music and shopping with friends. She also enjoys Italian food and playing with her black and white Chihuahua, Baby. Jessica’s joking and energetic personality makes her a perfect addition to our team.
As part of the Palms staff, Jessica can most often be found in the jewelry department, helping customers with their shopping endeavors. In fact, Jessica’s favorite part about being here, in addition to working with many different people, is trying on jewelry. She especially enjoys Stanley Parker’s work, and is always on the lookout for new pieces of his to come in.
Next time you’re in town, drop by and meet Jessica. Along with the rest of our staff, she’ll be happy to help you, and you'll enjoy the conversation and knowledge she has to offer.
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