this likely explains the popularity of the "make your own Indian jewelry" booth the jeweler I was apprenticed to ran at Saturday Market lo these many years ago.
Basically we had a set of plexiglass bins in a U shape with a felt covered surface inside the U. Open end of the U was towards the customer.
Each bin had some sort of piece for Navaho(?) style jewelry. in it and a label with the price. Various silver beads, wire swirls, coral or turquoise cabs in mounts, etc.
You'd take out pieces, and try arranging them on the felt until you got a design you liked. Then we'd cut a base, silver solder things onto it, and silver solder that to the right sized ring. Or make it into a necklace or a broach.
Cost was by adding up the prices for the individual items. And yes the markup was sufficient to cover the ring & labor.
Sure, a lot of folks would just fiddle with pieces for a while and move on. But even they attracted other potential customers.
Heck, *we* would fiddle with pieces when things were slow. :-)
ps. This was back in the 70s so any potential for a patent is long gone. So if anyone wants to swipe the idea for themselves, feel free. I'd love to have pictures though.
pps. We had lids on the "bins" (more shallow trays) and they were all one unit. They were hinged on the outside side of the U. And we'd tape them closed securely when transporting. So it was easy to pack up.
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dancing_serpent
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-07 02:16 pm (UTC)this likely explains the popularity of the "make your own Indian jewelry" booth the jeweler I was apprenticed to ran at Saturday Market lo these many years ago.
Basically we had a set of plexiglass bins in a U shape with a felt covered surface inside the U. Open end of the U was towards the customer.
Each bin had some sort of piece for Navaho(?) style jewelry. in it and a label with the price. Various silver beads, wire swirls, coral or turquoise cabs in mounts, etc.
You'd take out pieces, and try arranging them on the felt until you got a design you liked. Then we'd cut a base, silver solder things onto it, and silver solder that to the right sized ring. Or make it into a necklace or a broach.
Cost was by adding up the prices for the individual items. And yes the markup was sufficient to cover the ring & labor.
Sure, a lot of folks would just fiddle with pieces for a while and move on. But even they attracted other potential customers.
Heck, *we* would fiddle with pieces when things were slow. :-)
ps. This was back in the 70s so any potential for a patent is long gone. So if anyone wants to swipe the idea for themselves, feel free. I'd love to have pictures though.
pps. We had lids on the "bins" (more shallow trays) and they were all one unit. They were hinged on the outside side of the U. And we'd tape them closed securely when transporting. So it was easy to pack up.