Welcome to Cheryl's Trading Post, your destination for an exquisite collection of authentic Native American jewelry from the Northwest Coast of Canada. Each piece is a unique creation, handmade by a professional Indigenous artist who infuses the designs with deep roots in Native American culture. Discover one-of-a-kind silver and gold engraved bracelets, rings, and pendants, alongside beautifully carved argillite pieces and jewelry created through the art of repousse. Our collection is adorned with diamonds, turquoise, ammolite and a variety of precious and semi-precious stones, ensuring that every item is a breathtaking work of wearable art.
Richie Baker Northwest Coast Jewelry
Richie Baker (Feb. 12, 1962 - November 25, 2024) recently passed on to the spirit world after a few years of suffering from a terrible skiing accident. We miss Richie but believe he's in a better place.
Richie began carving at 12 years old and continued carving professionally all through his life. As well as carving and painting wood, he created beautiful silver and gold jewelry. He was a master jeweller, engraving, rolling out gold, setting diamonds and other stones. He was unbelievably creative. He came up with a never ending series of unique and original designs.
We are fortunate to have some of Richie’s jewelry that’s been sitting in a bank box for a few years. We are now putting it for sale on our website.
Ammolite jewelry is a distinctly Canadian style of jewelry that is handcrafted by Indigenous designers in Canada.
Ammolite is a stunning and very rare organic gemstone that displays a wide range of iridescent colours. It is derived from the fossilized shells of Ammonites which went extinct over 70 million years ago. Gemstone grade ammolite only exists in the territory of the Kainai (Blood), the Pikuni (Peigan), and the Siksika (Blackfoot) Indians of Southern Alberta. The supply of ammolite is very limited and it's rapidly depleting.
The stone was given official gemstone status in 1981 and named Ammolite. The Native word is Iniskim. Native People recognize the spiritual significance of the Iniskim: prosperity and good health to the person in contact with it. Asian Feng Shui practitioners believe ammolite has absorbed abundant chi over time. They call it the Seven Colour Prosperity Stone.
Fusion jewelry is a modern medium of expression created by the talented Tahltan/Tlingit jewelry designer Terrence Campbell. Terrence combines Northwest Coast Native engraved crest designs with Southwestern tufa casting, turquoise mining, and stone setting. He is also a renowned wood carver. He decided to become an artist when he was nine years old and has pursued that career all of his life. He currently lives part of the year in Arizona where he mines high end turquoise and expands his art. His jewelry pieces skillfully combine precious metals like gold and silver with gemstones like turquoise and ammolite.
Argillite, also referred to as "black slate" is found exclusively at a quarry near Skidegate in Haida Gwaii. It holds immense cultural value for the Haida people. Today, only the Haida are permitted to use argillite, with strict regulations in place to preserve this precious resource for future generations of artists.
The argillite carvings by the Haida people are of high quality and have been prized around the world since Haida carvers first began selling their carvings to sailors from Europe around 1800. Contemporary Haida carvers continue the tradition of creating argillite carvings and sculptures, many of whom are internationally known and recognized for their work.
At Cheryl’s Trading Post, we are proud to offer argillite pendants and carvings from Calvin Bell, Lionel Dexter Samuels, and Andrew Williams.
Our collection includes sets of matching earrings and pendants. These sets are meticulously hand-carved from silver or gold, showcasing Northwest Coast Indigenous crests, supernatural beings, ancestors, and other cultural designs.
A Belt buckle is a great way to make a statement with your jewelry. Explore our collection of belt buckles, handcrafted by local Native artists, featuring Northwest Coast Indigenous crest designs. These exquisite pieces are made from silver or gold and adorned with beautiful stones.
Our selection of bracelets includes silver, gold, and copper cuffs that feature intricate designs with Northwest Coast Native crest motifs. They are crafted by talented artists Richie Baker, Mathew Baker, Jay Simeon, Terrence Campbell, Alvin Adkins, Andrew Williams and others. These Native American jewellers use techniques such as engraving, stone setting, inlaying, and repousse and chasing. Engraved bracelets became cultural expressions during the potlatch ban when tattoos were discouraged, serving as a removable way to display heritage. Indigenous people on the West Coast continue to wear them to this day. A wide bracelet is a great canvas for a work of First Nations art.
Repousse is a technique in which the surface of the metal is pushed up, and raised from behind using a number of different punches and tools. Chasing accomplishes the opposite effect, and creates details by pushing the surface down. The two techniques work together to make a three-dimensional piece of art. Our collection features stunning earrings, pendants, a copper bowl, and a striking wolf cuff.
Each set of earrings in our selection is hand-engraved with a traditional design by a local Indigenous artist. Minimalist sterling silver or 14 or 18 kt gold. Or set with precious or semi-precious stones.
Sterling silver is composed of 92.5% pure silver with an alloy added to make the metal harder so the designs are crisper. 14 karat is 58.3% pure gold and 18 karat is 75%. The remainder is an alloy that serves the same purpose. Two-tone gold on silver is very popular because the combination makes the design pop out.
Our collection features beautiful, shining silver and gold pendants. Each is hand-engraved with an Indigenous design depicting an animal or supernatural being. These pieces not only make a statement but also honour and celebrate West Coast Native culture.
Beyond our exquisite jewelry collection, we proudly offer a range of handcrafted accessories. These pieces are made from sterling silver, gold, and stones, featuring Native designs. Our selection includes business card holders, tie pins, cuff links, and bolo ties.
At Cheryl's Trading Post, we are proud to offer a stunning selection of authentic Native American jewelry from the West Coast. Our collection includes pieces from several well-known designers and features a variety of jewelry styles. Shop online today and explore our selection of earrings, pendants, bracelets, rings, and accessories.
