Bell Trading Post, Albuquerque: History & Marks

Bell Trading Post was an Albuquerque manufacturer of souvenir jewelry, founded in the 1930s and owned by Jack Michaelson (Hougart 2022, p. 354). Its "early production focused on handmade jewelry, but post-WW II production shifted to quality tourist items presented as southwestern in their advertisements," in the words of hallmark scholar Bille Hougart (Hougart 2022, p. 354), and Native silversmiths worked there (Hougart 2020, pp. 102, 106). Dennis June, author of Fred Harvey Jewelry 1900–1955, writes: "The largest Southwestern manufacturer, Bell Jewelry in Albuquerque, made no pretense of its jewelry being Indian handmade." (June 2013, p. 96). Today, how jewelry may be marketed as Indian-made is governed by the federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act.

Founding

Hougart's entry says the company "began operations in 1932" (Hougart 2022, p. 354); his own timeline reads "1935 The Bell Trading Post opens" (Hougart 2022, p. 31). Lund (1976, p. 86), like Hougart's timeline, gives 1935. The dates conflict, and our sources do not settle them. Our sources say nothing more about the early, handmade period. As of 1973, a source quoted by Bedinger reported: "Bell Trading Co. in Albuquerque turns out tons of manufactured copper and smiths just don't try to compete." (Bedinger 1973, p. 187). Our sources do not record plant size or staff numbers.

The war and after

Hougart lists Bell's wartime products as "WW II lapel pins, paratrooper pins" (Hougart 2022, p. 354), and Lund records that the company turned to military insignia and identification bracelets, then the only way to get materials and keep its people working (Lund 1976, p. 86). After the war, June writes, souvenir Indian jewelry became fully manufactured, "Marketed on jeweler cards and hung on spinning pegboard stands" in Indian stores across the West, and Bell was the largest Southwestern manufacturer (June 2013, p. 96). June counts Bell among the souvenir makers of the years from World War II on who "followed this souvenir trend to various stages of its eventual demise" (June 2013, p. 102). As of 1976, Lund called Sun Bell "a multi-million dollar operation" (Lund 1976, p. 86).

People

"The company was owned and operated by Jack Michaelson (d.1957) of Albuquerque." (Hougart 2022, p. 354). Chester Yellowhair (Navajo) and Tom Weahkee (Zuni) each "worked as a silversmith at" Bell (Hougart 2020, pp. 106, 102). That work belongs to their own careers; it does not tell you who made a given Bell piece. Southwest Arts & Crafts bought from Bell: "SWAC also purchased jewelry from Maisel's and Bell Trading Post." (Hougart 2022, p. 369).

Marks and what to look for

"There are various marks for silver, nickel silver and copper." (Hougart 2022, p. 354). Hougart's list includes BELL STERLING, either enclosing a bell with hatch marks around it (after 1969) or surrounding a bell with dots before and after BELL; STERLING BY BELL, around a signpost with a bell or on attached tags; STERLING under a signpost with a bell; STERLING draped over a bell, with BELL inscribed; NICKEL SILVER BELL and SOLID COPPER, each surrounding a bell; and NICKEL SILVER or SOLID COPPER with a signpost (Hougart 2022, p. 354). The signpost-with-bell mark was "Used 1961-1972; trademark application filed in 1962." (Hougart 2022, p. 354). June notes "their 'Bell' logo was imbedded onto every item" (June 2013, p. 97). A Bell mark names the company, not a maker. Nickel silver, June adds, "oddly contains no silver at all" (June 2013, p. 97), so NICKEL SILVER BELL pieces are not silver.

Sun Bell and after

Hougart: "The company merged with Sunbell in 1969." A footnote adds: "The company's name changed to Sun Bell c.1970." (Hougart 2022, p. 354). Merger or rename: our sources do not say. June writes: "By the 1980s it appears that SunBell also had run its course." (June 2013, p. 97). Our sources do not record a closing date.

From the Library: Ryan & Chambless, Turquoise in America Part Two: 1910–1990 (2020)

2020 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2020, not today.

According to Ryan & Chambless (2020, p. 97), Charles Green King, whose family worked the King Manassa turquoise mine in Colorado, later worked as a turquoise cutter for Bell Trading Post in Albuquerque. [5]

From the Library: Adair, The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths (1944)

1944 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1944, not today.

Adair (1944) did not name any firm, but he described the Albuquerque and Santa Fe manufacturers that, in the late 1930s, competed with reservation silver:

“In these cities there are firms that employ Indian labor to turn out silver made with punches, drop presses, and other elaborate mechanical devices. Silversmiths work at long benches and make jewelry in a regular assembly-line manner.”
— Adair (1944), p. 117 [6]

According to Adair (1944, p. 117), such shops then turned out a great quantity of cheap silver and a smaller amount of heavier silver on traditional Navajo designs, and could undersell the Gallup dealers, who answered by lowering the standards of the reservation silver they bought, so that the craft suffered in design and workmanship. [6]

From the Library: Lund, Indian Jewelry: Fact and Fantasy (1976)

1976 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 1976, not today.

Lund (1976), writing of the company by its later name, Sun Bell:

“Begun in 1935 by Jack Michaelson, the company originally produced handmade Indian jewelry.”
— Lund (1976), p. 86 [7]

According to Lund (1976, p. 86), during World War II the company switched to making military insignia and identification bracelets, then the only way to obtain materials and keep its employees working, and after the war it chose to make quality items for the tourist market. [7]

As of 1976, Lund (1976, p. 86) described Sun Bell as a multi-million dollar operation. [7]

As of 1976, Lund (1976, p. 87) reported that the line included copperware, moccasins, hematite jewelry, dolls and "Southwestern" jewelry in sterling silver with stabilized turquoise, stamped both "sterling" and with the Sun Bell mark; J.T. Michaelson, the founder's son, was then the company's president. [7]

A note on accuracy. We strive for accuracy, and this page is continuously updated with new information from the artists, their families, and the community. Corrections welcome.

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From the Library: Schaaf, American Indian Jewelry I (2003)

2003 primary source. Anything described as current here describes 2003, not today.

Schaaf (2003, p. 185) listed Bell Trading Post and Rio Grande Jewelry Supply in Albuquerque among the outlets for the Acoma smith Wilbert Hunt. [8]

Sources

  1. Bille Hougart, Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks, 5th ed., 2022, pp. 31, 354, 369.
  2. Bille Hougart, 100 Collectible Native American Silversmiths, 2020, pp. 102, 106.
  3. Dennis June, Fred Harvey Jewelry 1900–1955, 2013, pp. 96–97, 102.
  4. Margery Bedinger, Indian Silver: Navajo and Pueblo Jewelers, 1973, p. 187.
  5. Ryan, Mike, II, and Philip Chambless. Turquoise in America, Part Two: 1910–1990. Callais Press, 2020. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2020.
  6. Adair, John. The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths. The Civilization of the American Indian Series. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1944. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1944.
  7. Lund, Marsha Mayer. Indian Jewelry: Fact and Fantasy. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 1976. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 1976.
  8. Schaaf, Gregory, with Angie Yan Schaaf. American Indian Jewelry I: 1,200 Artist Biographies, ca. 1800-present. American Indian Art Series, Vol. 5. Santa Fe: CIAC Press, 2003. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions as of 2003.

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