Tucson jewelers concerned about fake Native American merchandise during gem show | News

TUCSON (KVOA) – The Tucson Gem Show is one of the regions biggest annual events but it brings with it some people trying to misrepresent their merchandise, which is illegal.

On Speedway Blvd and Main Street there’s a billboard warning the public to be on the lookout for inauthentic Native American art.

Dwight Schannep owns the American Antique Mall in Tucson, they focus on authentic Native American jewelry. Schannep said every year they come across fake Native American jewelry people bought without knowing.

“Unfortunately we are the people who have to tell them what you thought you got you didn’t get. We’ll show you why, we’d love to educate you about what to look for and what not to buy,” he explained .

He said there are some red flags to look for to spot a fake piece. For example, if a ring has an open back where you can see the stone then it’s probably not authentic. Usually pieces made in the US by Native American artisans will have silver or other precious metal to cover the back of the stone.

Schennap said the large market of fakes hurts our local Native American tribes and artists, many depend on their art for income.

Sally Gonzales is a state senator and member of the Pascua Yaqui tribe. She said people have become too accustomed to the cheap prices of corporate lookalike pieces and what’s being massed produced mostly overseas and sold fraudulently as authentic Native American jewelry.

She said it doesn’t only hurt the artisans financially but is an insult to their culture and heritage.

“These are artisan traditions passed down for generations and generations. You won’t find them in books, so it’s a stolen culture,” she said.

In 1990, a law was passed making it illegal for someone to sell products falsely advertised as authentic Native American merchandise. But in Tucson Schannep said there is little to no enforcement and it’s a very much self-regulated industry among vendors.

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