To understand why certain collectibles are popular in today’s market, look no further than the larger culture. From high-end sneakers to old Navajo silver and a relic of the slave era in Brazil, readers this month have given us some great examples.
Are these Adidas sneakers valuable?
Q. I have a pair of Adidas sneakers and an acquaintance at work told me they might be worth a lot of money. They’re in fairly good condition, but I have worn them a bit. Are they valuable and how would I sell them?
-- C.K., Northwest Portland
A. Michael Nyguyen, co-owner of Portland’s IndexPDX, consulted with Jerry Dobesh on these sneakers. They are the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Zebra model, produced in a partnership between Kanye West and Adidas. They were first released in February 2017 with an initial retail price of $220. The selling price jumped to more than $1,500 three days after release, then dropped to around $550 four months later. Today, a new-in-box pair would sell for $350-$450. In used condition like these, you might expect $200.
As you can see, the sneaker market is a volatile one, with a lot of heat generated for new releases, and no way to know if that heat will cool off. For some, sneakers turn out to be a good investment. For example, if you have a pair of the fewer than 100 Nike Air Mag “Back to the Future” models made, you could sell them today for $26,000-$30,000. Appreciation like this has helped create a frenetic sneaker market all over the world. Fortunately, a world of resources is available to educate the novice sneaker collector.
SneakerNews.com is the go-to source for news about when sneakers are launching and where and how to buy them. Stockx.com is a respected online buy/sell sneaker marketplace with information on the sales history of different sneakers. In Portland, you can bring your sneakers to IndexPDX or check their online stock at indexpdx.com. Also in Portland, the third annual Sneaker Week PDX is planned for Aug. 11-17, and it’s a great place to start dipping your toes into the culture of kicks.
Navajo concho belt
Q. This silver concho belt was given to my mother by the fellow who made it, a Navajo man living in New Mexico. I believe the gift was made in the early 1950s, but don't know for sure. There are nine conchos measuring 2.25 inches x 2.5 inches and one concho buckle measuring 2 3/8" x 3 inches. The leather belt is original and is 36 inches long. There is no signature on any of the pieces.
-- A.P., Talent
A. Navajo silversmiths began making jewelry as early as the late 1860s, having learned the skill from the Spanish, and they are still the most recognized and prolific Native American silversmiths. To the Navajo people, jewelry traditionally represents status and wealth, and is worn in layers on special occasions like weddings. Silversmithing has also been a significant source of income for the Navajo people through the years.
The market for authentic Native American silver jewelry was at its strongest beginning in the 1970s, fueled in part by celebrities such as Jim Morrison, who made the concho belt famous, and more mainstream fashion designers such as Ralph Lauren. This was also the time when innovators such as Charles Loloma began experimenting with more modern techniques, materials and designs. Early Loloma pieces are examples of Navajo jewelry that are rare and quite expensive. Prices continued to be strong until the early 2000s, when the market was flooded with mass-produced items with fake turquoise, often made overseas. The market may be improving, but most experts advise collectors to buy only pieces they love and will enjoy, rather than with the expectation that they will greatly appreciate in value. This genre has been extensively written about and documented, providing interested collectors with the knowledge to make informed purchases.
Because few silversmiths, other than the most famous designers, sign or hallmark their jewelry, most collectors collect by era, and pieces can usually be identified by the style particular to different time periods. Bill Faust of Santa Fe’s Faust Gallery consulted with Jerry Dobesh on this particular piece. He says, “This is a very nice belt which would retail in the $2,000-$2,500 range, and at auction it might get $1,200. It isn’t hallmarked and the date range of 1950s seems right. Concho belts are not currently in high demand and are slow selling at the retail market for the moment. That could always change as the economy grows and fashions change.”
Penca de balangandan
Q. This is one of the unusual items inherited from my grandmother. I believe she received this sometime in the 1920s or 30s. I was told it may have been a “slave belt” from South America. It is large enough to encircle a waist. I was unable to find any kind of makers stamp on any of the pieces. Judging from their weight, and my ability to “buff” a little bit of some with toothpaste, I believe they are silver.
L. H-L., Hood River
A. This is a penca de balangandan, or cluster of amulets or charms. It is a very distinctive piece that has its design origins with black silversmiths in Brazil’s state of Bahia, who fashioned them for slave women. The shape of the penca, or charm-holder, represents the boat that brought slaves from Africa to Brazil, a journey during which almost one in 10 died. The charms represent a mix of symbols from the African Candomblé religion and Catholicism, with the choice of charms being specific to each individual woman. They were used mainly in the 18th and 19th centuries and continued to be used after slavery was abolished in Brazil in 1888.
Women wore these as belts, first as conspicuous proof of the financial status of their owners, and, after emancipation, exclusively for important religious celebrations, becoming almost a nest-egg for the wearer. At times, they were also hung in doorways for good luck. From 1501 to 1866, the Portuguese shipped more than 5 million African men, women and children to Brazil, where they were enslaved or shipped as slaves to other countries, including the United States. Brazil was the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery and today is struggling with the long aftermath of that history.
Examples of this type of jewelry are still seen made today, but primarily for the tourist trade. Your piece appears to date from the late 19th century and appears to be a mixture of silver and white metal pieces. The coin is a 500 Reis Brazilian coin, dated 1855. At auction, non-silver pieces have recently sold for $100-$150. At retail, they might fetch $200 or $300. Sterling or 900 silver examples might sell at auction for $400-$800 depending on the weight and might carry a retail price of $1,500 or more. It might be worth your time to take it to a jeweler to get the silver content verified.
The fact that this piece is associated with slavery raises many ethical questions about collecting and selling such artifacts. How those questions are resolved might impact any future value. There is a growing body of opinion that slavery artifacts are powerful reminders of a horrific past and, as such, should not be treated as novelty items. Collectors, for the most part, seem to be descendants of slaves or museums with ties to that past and an awareness of the facts that such artifacts have strong emotional and historical resonance, rather than being simply "collectible."
ABOUT TODAY’S COLLECTIBLES
The values of items featured in this column are estimated by Portland appraiser Jerry l. Dobesh, ASA, an Accredited Senior Appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers. He is specifically accredited in Antiques and Decorative Arts. His services include providing appraisals for estate tax, charitable contribution, insurance scheduling and loss, and equitable distribution needs.
To find an appraiser, contact the American Society of Appraisers, the International Society of Appraisers, or the Appraisers Association of America. Estimates suggested in this Collectibles column are for general information purposes only and cannot be used as a basis for sale, insurance, or IRS purposes.
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