In 1974, founders Allen and Marianne sold Native American jewelry at a flea market between 22nd and 23rd streets in Austin, Texas. Their passion became their business when they packed up their Ford station wagon and drove more than 500 miles to New Mexico. The artisans from whom they bought still made jewelry using techniques taught by Mexican silversmiths to the Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi tribes during the mid-nineteenth century. Marianne and Allen fell in love with the beauty, the tradition and the story behind each piece and wanted to share them with people in their hometown. So, every weekend, among the noisy crowd of vendors pushing everything from lava lamps to antiques, they would showcase the turquoise and silver jewelry that they acquired during their frequent trips to New Mexico.
