IHMSS
- Struck in
- Southwestern United States attributed, not confirmed
- Recorded on
- 1 piece
The "IHMSS" stamp is an acronym denoting "Indian Hand Made Sterling Silver." It is an authenticity and standard designation rather than a signature mark for a single silversmith or workshop. The mark was adopted within the Southwestern jewelry trade to certify that a piece was genuinely handcrafted by a Native American artisan using sterling silver standard alloys.
Pieces bearing the "IHMSS" mark typically exhibit traditional Southwestern construction techniques, including hand-stamping, wirework, overlay, or bezel-set stones. It is commonly found stamped on the reverse of cuffs, rings, and pendants alongside the primary artisan's hallmark (such as Navajo jeweler Wesley Craig) or secondary material stamps (such as "12K GF" or "STERLING").
When examining a piece under magnification, "IHMSS" should be recognized as a certification of provenance and artisanal production rather than a maker's hallmark. Collectors should look for adjacent initials, names, or pictographs to identify the specific jeweler who created the work.
Previously sold with this mark
Kept on the record — a maker's back catalogue is most of the evidence that a mark is what we say it is.
Struck alongside
Pieces carrying this mark are also struck with these.
What this entry is based on
- one piece carrying this mark, handled and photographed by this shop Written with the piece in hand. No published hallmark reference covers most of these marks.
Nothing outside this shop has been checked for this mark yet. What is above comes from the pieces themselves and from what was written while they were in hand.
Know something we don't about this mark? Tell us — corrections from collectors are how a reference like this gets better.