Native American Arts-collecting

From the Indian Arts and Crafts Association
The Indian Arts and Crafts Association (IACA) is a not-for-profit organization established in 1974 to support the ethical promotion and protection of authentic Native American art and culture. IACA works to stop fraud and abuse within the market for Indian art through education, publicity, authentication and use of our logo to indicate certified ethical businesses. IACA sponsors the largest wholesale trade shows of handmade Indian art in the world twice a year. Members include Native American artists, wholesale and retail dealers, museums, collectors and others who support the goals of the organization. IACA supports and works for the protection of indigenous art worldwide.

The IACA offers a publication designed to make it easy for you to find sources of authentic Native American arts and crafts. The directory is divided into three parts. It list members, alphabetically, geographically by state and by product line.

The publication can be obtained by phone (505) 265-9149. It can also be obtained by sending 16.50 (includes shipping with in United States) to :

A good place to start is by familiarizing yourself with the law concerning Native American Arts, in particularly the Indian Arts and Crafts law.
If there is a particular piece of art you are interested in, become familiar with it. Know what tribal history and tradition goes into the piece. Be able to identify these key elements to help determine authenticity.
Get precise information about the materials the item is made of. If jewelry , ask if the stones are natural, stabilized or man-made.
If the piece contains silver , make sure it is sterling.
A large piece of jewelry that is inexpensive was probably made overseas and is not authentic. An estimated 60% of items sold for under $100.00 are believed to be imported or made by non-Indians.
Strung trade shells, known as Heishi, should stack evenly, feel smooth to the touch and be regular in cut.
Find out if the piece is completely hand made or if parts of the item were manufactured or mass-produced.
Designs appearing to be too identical, especially on identical items, are probably machine stamped.
Ask how pottery pieces were produced, including if they were fired outdoors or in a kiln.
If you have doubts about the claims being made by a dealer or artist, verify the validity by contacting the tribe of the artist.
Ask if the piece comes with a certificate of authenticity. Sellers are required to provide proof of authenticity.
Know ahead of time if the dealer is listed in the directory published by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board.
Verify if the artist is a member of the Indian Arts and Crafts Association (IACA) and look for the seal of authenticity from the IACA.
See if the artwork is identified with a trademark of the artist or the artist tribal affiliation.