Thanks all for your comments.
I agree with beachkid. the beads are individually hammered and soldered together. The shape of the beads and the overall design indicates NA construction. The cones and the hook clasp suggest the same. That said, it's a sticky issue. The Indian Arts And Crafts Act (1990) prohibits the sale of any item marketed as Native American unless it was made by a member of a recognized tribe or someone designated a tribal artisan by a recognized tribe, nation etc. the fines are insanely steep for violation. I've spoken with the Crafts Board on several occasions and written them twice. vintage pieces are a real grey area (post 1935 because law not aplplicable to pre '35). If the item is unsigned and doesn't have a known provenance it's difficult to prove one way or the other without relying on construction of the item. The statute provides no guidance. A strict interpretation would prohibit 99% of the supposed NA items on ebay etc. The auction house will authenticate and broker the sale so we don't have to deal with it.
