Two charged with selling fake Native American crafts at art market

[Neanderthal]

I assume one of the few ways would be rock types., use geology. I’m probably wrong but I’d guess their are just a few shapes one can make, and techniques one can use to break rocks

The rock types and the patination/surface modification that's developed are the best ways to distinguish them. They even used some identical shapes; the Perdiz, Maud, Starr, and a few other Texas point types have identical counterparts from the Sahara, only much earlier. The materials can really fool a person if you aren't real familiar with it as well. Most of the arrow points in central TX are made from Edwards Plateau Chert, and some the Saharan agates can be a dead-ringer for it.

 

[aarondhgraham]

My Step-Pop was 1/4 or 1/8th Osage,,,
He built/sold driftwood furniture for his retirement business.

He too advertised himself as a "Native American Craftsman",,,
But he didn't look at all as if he were Osage,,,
His father was as Irish as they come

I remember one craft show we were selling at in Tulsa,,,
A small "tribe" of obviously Native descent started to harass him.

They apparently were with a group that actively searched out "imposters",,,
They threatened to coll some agency on Dad if he didn't "immediately cease his fraud".

They were so angry when he produced his Osage Tribe Identification Card.

Like so many self righteous groups,,,
They just couldn't admit they were wrong and walk away,,,
They called the craft show manager over to claim his card was fake.

I laughed out loud when the manager (who had known Dad for years),,,
Had the security guard "escort" them off the premises.

This happened at the Tulsa Flea Market around 2010/2011.

Aarond

.

 

[BobbyV]

You should in no way get jail time for selling indian looking art or crafts. Everyone expects it to be made in china unless you buy it at a reservation anyway. I mean, how many times have we bought indian or turquoise items from the Loves country stores as we're driving through a state? Dumb law.

However, telling cops (not regular folks) that you're a card carrying Indian should definitely be a crime. Like telling them the wrong name or driver's license number.

Heck, when I worked on the Navajo Reservation in the mid to late 90s I was told be several artists that there are many who buy fake products/materials to make "authentic" items to sell to tourists. So you can never be sure unless you actually know the person. Thankfully I had several friends who helped out and who I bought stuff from.

 

[Raido Free America]

You can fake NA blood to be a politician.

Only Pocahontas can get away with that!