Baby Rattles

Native American Baby Rattles

An Unusual Item

Native American baby rattles are assuredly one of the more unique items offered by SilverTQ, LLC.  An assortment of these items can be found available on the site most of the time.  These unusual pieces are only made by a few Navajo families on a regular basis.  Always handcrafted in sterling silver by the Native American artist, only a few distinct styles of these rattles are typically offered.

Tracing Our Introduction

SilverTQ, LLC was first introduced to this novelty item in the mid 70’s by a brother and sister team of Navajo silversmiths, Dan and Helen Chee.  They were well known for making baby rattles, thimbles, miniature pots, and distinctive silver beads handcrafted from sterling silver.

How’s It Made?

Most of these items are created using the same technique that is used to make handcrafted silver beads for necklaces.  It all starts with a plate of silver that is hand punched with a circle die to create silver discs.  These discs are not punched with holes as is performed for necklace beads.  Rather,  they are stamped with a design and put into a negative die that when stamped, creates a half bead shape.  These two halves are then soldered together to create a full bead.  A few small pieces of sterling wire are inserted into the beads prior to soldering to create the rattles.  These two half beads are then connected and soldered together by a hollow connector tube that becomes the handle.

Styles of Rattles

The most common style of baby rattle is of a dumbbell shape.  There is a hollow round sphere on each end connected to each other by a round tubular silver connector.  These spheres are actually the same as the silver beads made for the “Navajo Pearl” silver bead necklace.  They can vary in size, shape and stamping.

Another style of sterling silver baby rattle has only one larger bead, made as described above, but with a loop of twisted silver wire for the handle.  These single bead baby rattles might also be of various bead sizes and differing types of wire handles.  Remember, these are all handcrafted one at a time!

There is another baby rattle that is a little larger and made with more silver.  Rather than a large bead attached to the single handle, the rattle is more like a small donut or pillow with no holes, decorated with stampwork.  The handle is more of a hollow rectangle shape formed into a loop rather than a twisted sterling wire handle.   This particular style of rattle is more time intensive for the Native American artisan to produce.

Our Promise

Offering sterling silver Native American jewelry handcrafted in the USA is the fundamental “business mantra” of SilverTQ, LLC.   Imported or imitation jewelry of any kind is not what we sell. No matter the style or styles of these expertly handcrafted pieces, you can be assured complete satisfaction.  Individually made, one at a time, each piece to be cherished and worn proudly.