What is remarkable about these ornaments is their fidelity to traditional designs and the fine craftsmanship evident in their creation. It is possible that this is not the first time silversmiths have chosen to copy trade silver patterns, and some doubt exists among scholars about some trade silver supposed to have been part of the early fur trade. Sophisticated tests have revealed that some pieces believed to be silver were, in fact, not silver at all. One thing is certain, Indian trade silver offers many challenges to the researcher and fascinating clues to Indian material culture and the exchange which took place during the fur trade.
