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). The two dates conflict. 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.

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). They include "BELL STERLING (enclosing a bell with hatch marks around the bell; after 1969)" and a signpost-with-bell mark "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.

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.
  4. Margery Bedinger, Indian Silver: Navajo and Pueblo Jewelers, 1973, p. 187.

Part of our Southwest Jewelry Business Directory.