I did business with the same person Keith in Gallup for nearly fifteen years in my early years, he had a trading company Turney’s Inc and bought nearly everything I made in cash which was great. Many times we would do a part trade.
Early on 1981 or so I spotted four Ryker trays that were filled with pre Columbian artifacts, Keith had traded the trays from a gentleman named Rex Arrowsmith, who at that time had a gallery in Santa Fe named Arrowsmith’s. When I finally got in the position to do some trading for a larger portion of our dealings I grabbed the four trays and asked Keith if he would consider trading them as part of the deal, he said yes and I finally got those wonderful trays.
Over the years I traded or sold the majority of what was in the trays, and only have one regret, I traded a ceramic Mayan figurine of a warrior that I did not realize was a whistle until some years later (wish I knew this prior to the trade), as they say hind sight is the best.
I did keep my two favorite Mayan beads and still own them to this day. I am in the process of gathering things for this years Tucson and the other day when I was talking to Thomas he told me that he was posting new bead images on his Facebook page weekly as a prelude to the show, he told me to send him some images to post so this is why I have the images you see below.
The first image is of my favorite it’s a small carved bead 32.75mm tall 12.2mm wide. I always loved this bead and we even made a rubber mold of it years ago, a friend had the mold and I think he cast a few beads but I am not sure.
The second image is of a very large bead 67.85mm long 18.8mm diameter I kept it because of the wonderful quality of lapidary work and the general good feeling the bead emanates.
If you have some pre Columbian beads lets make this a long thread.
All my best ......... Danny
