“By the 1890s, traders took advantage of the new market with silversmiths and began selling tools and silver slugs.
Silver jewelry also served as barter on the Reservation where money was practically non-existent. Traders took silver and turquoise jewelry as collateral, without giving a specific value to the piece, and the customer’s purchase debt was secured by the jewelry. Any pawn unclaimed after the agreed period of not less than six months was considered “dead” and the trader could sell it.
After 1950, the use of pawn as collateral was prohibited on the Reservation; however, it continues to exist today on the borders of the Reservation.Older Indian jewelry (1880-1900) may appear crude by today’s standards. Collectors of these pieces look for raised designs created with files and chisels and not repoussé.” …
read more http://www.collectorsguide.com/fa/fa001.shtml http://www.onlineauction.com/
photo of vintage turquoise courtesy of Ola.com
1909ventilo's Blog 
2 thoughts on “Old Pawn Turquoise jewelry, dead pawn what does that mean?”
Tiffany Almazan
Reblogged this on Life of Joie and commented:
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1909ventilo
” Old pawn is the most highly collectible American Indian jewelry. The term “old pawn” or “dead pawn” simply means an item that was pawned for cash but has never been redeemed, a common practice in the Southwest, and often referring to American Indian jewelry.” http://www.zunifetishstore.com