✅ SOLVED Snake ring is a Raven, Mystery solved

[gary s fl]

Do the markings/symbols on this MAG Sterling ring have meaning, or are associated with native americans or with some other organization, or are they just random markings? Hard to get good focused pics

 

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[DCMatt]

Re: Snake ring

It looks more like a coiled arrow to me. But I guess it could be a snake.

Don't know about the markings. They look kinda generic to me...

DCMatt

 

[ivan salis]

Re: Snake ring

try a arrow -- bent into a ring shape --if straight it would be easily noticible --the feathers * (fletching) at one end the "arrowhead" at the other -- native american type design -- oh yah.

sterling (925 pure out of 1000 parts) MAG is makers mark -- I would guess.

 

[Chug And Red]

Re: Snake ring

Chug's 2 cent's worth it looks like a stylized snake to me eyes on the head/ point

 

[gary s fl]

Re: Snake ring

I agree, one end could be an arrowhead but why the eyes & ears?, and the other end could be feathers but why the split roundish symbol? Did native americans mark their shafts with symbols? Someone suggested that the markings looked Assyrian or middle eastern. There's a name stamped on the inside but I wasn't able to locate the owner when I found it in FL eight years ago. Ivan is probably correct about MAG being the maker. Info about the maker should help date it. Thanks for the input.

 

[La Beep]

Re: Snake ring

Cool find

 

[lostcauses]

Re: Snake ring

Snake arrow combination?? Reminds me of Egypt.
Don't find that makers hall mark.
Fun find.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Snake ring

Ive seen the MAG mark before but cant remember. Heres another MAG item on eBay.
Its also Am. Indian or Mexican Aztec Indian looking.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sterling-silver...emQQimsxZ20100325?IMSfp=TL1003251310002r34843

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Snake ring

Heres another. http://www.larjones.com/data/silver6.htm

d478. Signed Sterling Northwest Coast Haida or Tlingit Bracelet A fine large bracelet. It is slighly curved and the design definetly looks like bird wings on the ends, possibly birds facing each other on the front. Signed MAG STERLING and initials A L G? (it is a strange one) Measures 6 1/4" end to end not including the gap just under 1" but adjustable, and just under 1 1/8" wide in the middle. Weight 55.1 grams. A fine bracelet suitable for male or female. $375

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Snake ring

They call it an Alaskan Indian design. http://www.rubylane.com/shops/cobayley/item/100-1418

http://www.rubylane.com/shops/cobayley/item/100-1418

I bought this at a recent estate sale. The lady loved ethnic and handcrafted high end jewelry. This piece, I believe was intended for a man. Measured with a soft measure end to end it is approx 7 3/4". The widest part of the head motif is approx 3/4". My research led me to Odin Lonning's website. He is a craftsman who creates authentic Tlingit Indian designs on wood, leather and more. I cannot find any reference that he crafted or crafts jewelry. I'm guessing he made the design and another company manufactured the jewelry. I took this to my jeweler after several shoppers questioned the metal. It is sterling. The bracelet is marked as shown, O. Lonning copyright MAG.STG. It is in excellent condition. A helpful Ruby Lane shopper has added that it is the "Lovebird" design. It was made by Mag Sterling Co. The company is in operation today.

(there are no hits on Mag Sterling Company)

 

[ivan salis]

Re: Snake ring

the cobraish U with o's on the end is some sort of old zodaic type symbol -- saturn --I think.

 

[gary s fl]

Re: Snake ring

BCH great job

 

[GopherDaGold]

Re: Snake ring

I believe it is a stylized arrow and not a snake. The two dots may LOOK like eyes but there is a line connecting them. The 'head' is too long for a snake as well. There are two basic shapes for snake heads and this example shows neither.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Snake ring

I believe it is a stylized arrow and not a snake. The two dots may LOOK like eyes but there is a line connecting them. The 'head' is too long for a snake as well. There are two basic shapes for snake heads and this example shows neither.

It has a feather engraved on the tail.

 

[gary s fl]

Re: Snake ring, Mystery solved

It's been almost a year since posting this odd ring. I accidentally came across some pics of the ring today and did a 'BING' search and saw this post. Bigcypresshunter had posted a Tlingit Indian designed bracelet with the MAG hallmark. A few more searches for Tlingit jewelry revealed the answer. The ring was designed in the 1940's by Bill J. Wilson, a Tlingit Indian chief, who's now deceased. It's called a Raven ring and the markings may be a type of totem. The Raven was the cultural hero of the Northwest Coast Native Americans. He was attributed with supernatural powers and could transform into any thing at any time. There are several sites that sell copies made from his original dies. Some if not all the copies have his name along with the MAG (metal arts group) hallmark stamped on the inside. Though the carving or stamping on my ring looks sharper than the copies being sold now, more than likely it isn’t an original.

Copy for sale- http://www.davidmorgan.com/product_info.php?products_id=946

History about Bill Wilson.
Bill J. Wilson was Tlingit Chief of the Choo Ka Na Dee Clan. He was born at Dundas Bay, Alaska in his parent's fishing camp. Raised in Hoonah, where he was a fisherman, trapper and hunter all of his life, he learned the art of carving totem poles and engraving bracelets from his father, Jacob. In the 1940's, with the encouragement of his wife Elsie, he began to take his engraving seriously and his pieces became highly sought after by national dignitaries such as Mrs. Mamie Eisenhower. Mr. Wilson has since passed away but his art continues to live on through our collection.

More about what the Raven meant to the NW coast Indians.
The most important of all creatures to the Northwest coast Indian peoples was the Raven. He took many forms to many peoples — the Transformer, the cultural hero, the trickster, the Big Man. Full of magical powers, the Raven could transform himself into anything. He put the sun in the sky, the fish in the sea, the salmon into the rivers. His antics were often motivated by greed, and he loved to tease, to cheat, to woo, and to trick.

One mystery solved, hundred to go.

 

[Tony in SC]

Re: Snake ring

It looks more like a coiled arrow to me. But I guess it could be a snake.

Don't know about the markings. They look kinda generic to me...

DCMatt

AHA!! It's the Mythical "Arrow Snake" . Tony

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Snake ring

Wow exact match. We need the green check.

 

[gary s fl]

Re: Snake ring- Mystery solved

BCH, I green checked but in the wrong place. Thanks for the help in solving it.

 

[4getmenot]

Hello,
I’m a little late to this party. I wish I had been aware of this site when this first posted as I would have been able to answer all the questions posted. I’m from Southeast Alaska where Bill J. Wilson and these other artists mentioned are also from. I wanted to let BigCypressHunter know who the artist is on the item he has with initials ALG. Those initials are actually ALW for Amos L. Wallace. He has always made his W look like a G to most people. He and his brother Lincoln were Tlingit from Juneau Alaska. I grew up there and went to school with his son who was in my class. They are quite famous and have their worked displayed at the Smithsonian Institute as well as other museums and galleries around the world. Amos even appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. MAG (Metal Arts Group) obtained the rights to continue producing some of Amos’ designs and they still produce them even though Amos passed away in 2004. The same with the designs of Bill J. Wilson who died in 1975. Bill never signed his original handmade pieces. So if you see one of Bill’s designs and it has any markings such as MAG (which also includes Bill’s printed name) or EJT, ETJ, or West Earth, those are reproductions of Bill’s designs. Amos Wallace did sign most of his original works but there may be a few he did not sign. MAG includes a “signature” of Amos on the pieces they produce. Lincoln Wallace did not sign over any of his designs to MAG. There are still original pieces out there to be obtained through private collections and through various dealers from time to time. But they’re usually expensive, especially if made by some of the Master Carvers such as Bill J. Wilson, Amos L. Wallace, and Lincoln Wallace as well as many others. MAG makes all their pieces out of sterling silver and some are made of gold. Even though they’re not the originals, they’re made from the original die casts created for the designs and are made well. Sorry for talking so long. I hope I’ve been of some help if you had not already found out about Amos.

 

[jewelerguy]

Hello,
I’m a little late to this party.

better late than never, they say. It's only been 8 years. LOL