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Rules
and Regulations
Written rules date from 1976, when the Museum of New Mexico's customary
"Indians only" policy was challenged, and upheld, in the
courts. Below are Sections 8-15 of the "Guidelines, Rules,
and Regulations Governing the Portal Program at the Palace of the
Governors." Sections 8-15 cover the techniques and materials
used by program participants.
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| Quality
control is vigorous. All vendors must demonstrate their artwork
and production techniques to a group of their peer vendors before
being accepted by the Portal committee. |
Section
8: Authenticity of Maker of Goods (Maker's Mark) | top
A.
All goods offered for sale under the Portal shall be marked with
the maker's mark. Any exceptions to this can be issued a waiver
by the Director of the Palace of the Governors, after consulting
with the Portal Committee.
B.
Metal jewelry shall have a stamped maker's mark, and pottery shall
have a maker's mark added before firing. This maker's mark shall
be recorded with the Museum as part of the application to qualify
as a vendor. The same maker's mark shall appear on all goods being
sold by a single vendor.
C.
On metal jewelry with stones, the maker's mark shall be placed on
the back of the piece opposite the center of the stone. The intention
of this provision is to require the jeweler to stamp the piece before
the stones are set, and to make it impossible to stamp such pieces
after they are completed. Metal plates with the maker's mark which
are soldered or attached by other means to a piece of metal jewelry
shall not be permitted.
D.
If the design of a reversible pendant (or other piece of jewelry)
makes it impossible to stamp the maker's mark behind the stone,
the pendant (or other piece of jewelry) shall be stamped on the
bezel.
Section
9: Jewelry Materials | top
A.
Silver and Gold: Silver jewelry must be made of sterling silver,
and not silver plate or commercial liquid silver. Gold overlay on
sterling silver is allowable. All jewelry using gold shall be stamped
10K, 14K, 18K, etc. All jewelry using gold fill shall be stamped
12KGF or 14KGF. The use of coin silver is prohibited.
B.
Prohibited Materials: In addition to the above prohibited materials,
no artist or artisan shall use any reconstituted materials; color-shot,
pre-drilled, semi-precious stones; imported heishi; or, pre-carved
pieces in any jewelry exhibited or offered for sale under the Portal.
Section
10. Jewelry Findings | top
All
jewelry must be as traditional and handmade as possible. Jewelry
"findings"(as defined by NMSA 1978, § 30-33-3 (H),
of the Indian Arts and Crafts Sales Act: means "an ingredient
part of a product which adapts the product for wearing or display,
including silver beads, leather backing, binding material, bolo
tie clips, tie bar clips, tie tack pins, earring pins, earring clips,
earring screw backs, cuff-link toggles, money clips, pin stems,
combs and chains." All jewelry offered for sale under the Portal
must be finished, i.e., complete with necessary findings. The only
exceptions are pendants, which can be offered for sale without chains.
Accepted findings used on jewelry sold at the Portal shall be the
following:
A.
Sterling Silver Findings: All neck chains; all jump rings; all spring
rings; all tie-on hooks and eyes; all crimp type hook and eye earring
parts; all screw-on, clip-on types; all ear wire types; all ear
posts, ear nuts; omega clips; all cuff link and components; all
necklace cones; all bolo tips; all bench made beads (2mm to 9mm
seamless) are acceptable; all size money clips; surgical wire for
earrings; all size melon beads; bezel cups in all sizes and shapes
from 2mm to 5mm.
B.
Nickel or Base Metal Findings: All size buckles backs; all bolo
backs; all foxtail and tiger tail; all concho backs; all key rings
including split rings; all barrel catches including eyeglass/chain
attachments; all tie tacks, sets and clutches (backs); all scarf
pins (stick pins) backs; all pin bars and pin sets (backs); all
barrette backs; all tie bar slides; all alligator clips; all expansion
centers; all size spring bars; key holders (safety pins), large
and medium sizes; all size money clips; wire used in "memory
bracelets". Surgical steel is permitted in wire post earrings.
C.
14K Gold Findings: All ear posts and nuts; joint catches; jump rings;
spring rings; bolo backs; bolo tips; necklace cones; all size cones.
D.
Gold Filled Findings: All posts and nut sets; all French wire styles;
all hooks and eyes; all spring rings; all size jump rings; all neck
chains, all beads; all tie tack backs; all bolo tips, all ear clips;
stick pins and clutches; all size cones.
E.
Red Brass or Brass Findings: All buckle backs; all key ring backs;
all concho backs; all bolo backs; all bolo tips; all hooks and eyes;
all brass beads; all size money clips.
F.
Leather Findings: All size straps for concho belts; all size braided
bolo cords. Vinyl bolo cords are permitted.
Section
11. Beadwork | top
A.
Permitted Beadwork Materials: On beadwork offered for sale under
the Portal, the beadworker must have made the silver, brass or any
other metal which has been incorporated with beadwork into the final
product. The following materials shall be permitted: all size glass
beads; brass beads; all types of legal feathers; all types of leather;
porcupine quills (natural color only); genuine natural bone hair
pipes; genuine natural bone disc beads, detail shells, lead crystals
and sweetwater pearls (also known as freshwater pearls).The use
of sweetwater pearls is also approved for metal work.
B.
Beadwork Findings: Because beadwork is a totally different craft
from silversmithing, the following findings shall be permitted when
incorporated into beadwork items: buckle backings (blanks); barrette
backings; bolo backings; sterling silver bolo tips; sterling silver,
aluminum and tin cones for fringe dangles only; metal spots of nickel
or brass; barrel screw clasps; hooks and eyes; spring rings, crimp
beads; eye pins and head pins; jump rings; split key rings; tie
tack mounts; tiger tail; all earring findings.
C.
Prohibited Beadwork Materials: The following materials shall not
permitted when incorporated into beadwork: plastic bone hair pipe;
pre-cut, pre-shaped abalone disk.
Section
12. Pottery | top
A.
All pottery shall be handmade of earth clay from sources on the
participant's reservation, and fired using traditional materials.
Clay sources other than the participant's reservation may be approved
in writing from the Director of the Palace of the Governors.
B.
All pottery shall be engraved before firing.
C.
All pottery may be hand painted in natural mineral paints, poster
paint colors, or bright acrylic color paints.
D.
The use of commercial protective sealants on pottery is allowed.
Section
13. Vending Traditional Food Stuffs | top
A.
Traditional foodstuff may be offered for sale and shall be derived
from the household of the participant vendor. The participant shall
have prepared the foodstuff within 24 hours of offering.
B.
The following food may be sold:
oven bread
Indian melons
tamales
pies
fried bread
pinon nuts
parched corn
piki bread (paper bread)
ristras (chili strings)
C.
The participant who vends food shall obtain from the City of Santa
Fe a valid food handler's card or certificate, which must be exhibited
by the participant food vendor at all times.
D.
All food must be packaged and labeled with the maker's name and
ingredients.
E.
Other additional kinds of foods shall be approved by the Portal
Committee and/or the Director of the Palace of the Governors before
the participant vendor offers it for sale to the public.
Section
14. Sand Painting | top
A.
All sand paintings shall be handmade of natural materials. No commercial
sand shall be permitted.
B.
No dyed sand shall be permitted.
C.
No sandpainting sold under the Portal of the Palace of the Governors
shall have a frame.
D.
Each sand painting shall be signed on the face of the painting with
the maker's mark impressed into the design of the painting while
the sand is wet. This does not preclude additional marking or signatures,
e.g. on the back of the painting.
Section
15. Leatherwork | top
A.
All leatherwork shall be permanently marked. Marking with ink is
not permitted.
B.
Leatherwork without beadwork should have a branded or stamped maker's
mark.
C.
Leatherwork with beadwork can have a branded, stamped or beaded
maker's mark. The maker's mark may also be incorporated into the
beaded design.
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