Native American jewelry

I see that every weekend there is a Native American arts and jewelry sale in Tusayan. Is this a good opportunity to do some shopping (quality and price)?

Native American jewelry

Traveling in the southwest will give you many opportunities to invest in native american jewelry and crafts. You can find everything from cheap trinkets (much of which is manufactured in China, Japan and Indonesia) to authentic antique quality pieces.

Most of the imitation products will be found in shops and stores in the towns and cities. You%26#39;ll also find genuine native american products in many of those same shops and galleries, so you need to shop carefully. The finest quality jewelry can be found at the Heard Museum in PHX, The Museum of Northern AZ in Flagstaff and the best by far is at Garlands in Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona.

The fairs at the GCNP and in Tusayan and elsewhere around the southwest are opportunities to buy directly from the natives themselves. You will have similar opportunities at many of the roadside stands that you will find along the major tourist routes. These natives are part of a cooperative effort and in fairness to each other they rotate and change locations with their private inventories every day. Each vendor gets a chance at every location approximately one day per month. So if you see a vendor at a stand outside the GCNP and you go back to the same stand the next day, you won%26#39;t find the same vendor or the same inventory.

So what you need to realize is that if you are shopping with these natives, you are dealing direct and will have the best opportunity to bargain. However, you need to be sure of what you are buying because if you change your mind that night and decide to try to make an exchange the next day, you will not find the same person, and in fact the chance of ever seeing that individual again is very remote.

Native American jewelry

Hi RR

What should we expect at the Cameron Trading Post?

I know nothing about it except reviews about the hotel which are not great.

Is this a tourist trap or is it a place to get some nice stuff at a fair price? Otherwise, would I look at some places in Page or around Monument Valley.

What places do you recommend to get quality locally made products from reputable people at a fair price.

Thanks

Bucks

Cameron Trading Post has a huge inventory. They have a full range of products from souvenir trinkets to fine quality leather goods and jewelry and pottery. It%26#39;s a fun place to shop, but it%26#39;s not a place where I would plan to make any serious investments.

For value, you%26#39;ll do better at the roadside stands where you can deal directly with the natives. However your selection at these places will be much more limited than the mega stores like Cameron TP.

Deciding where is the best place to shop requires that you first define what it is that you plan to buy. If it%26#39;s a simple native bracelet or souvenir, then I recommend the high traffic roadside fairs like the one at the headwall of Oak Creek canyon. You%26#39;ll find as many as 15-20 different vendors who will be competetive and willing to bargain and offering a wide variety of crafts. If you%26#39;re looking for collectible investment quality jewelry or authentic rugs or pottery, then you should visit a place like Garlands in Sedona. You can spend hundreds or thousands of dollars, but you can be assured of the quality and authenticity of what you%26#39;re buying.