The way I understand it, if a farmer finds a 5,000 year old stone axe on his property, he's not allowed to call it "American Indian" or "Native American" or list it under Indian categories UNLESS he knows the name of the tribe and the name of the Indian who made it 5,000 years ago!

I recently put up a silver Indian bracelet that looked very old because the profuse symbols were not stamped but rather hand cut into the metal. I guessed it was southwest American and maybe Navajo. It could have easily been 50 to 100 years old but was told that I should list it under "Western Americana" along with the Gene Autry flashlights and cowboy hats because I did not know the name of the Indian maker.

What doesn't make any sense regardless of whether it's before or after 1935 (2 ebay Indian categories) is the fact that very few true Indian artifacts are signed. I've seen almost no signed baskets regardless of age so that means no matter how obvious that it's made by an Indian, I can't list it under "Native American" because I don't know the name of the maker.

This rule is also very inviting to forgers because it's very easy to put a forged name on a piece of jewelry or pottery and make the claim that it's by a certain Indian maker like Marie Martinez of the San Ildefonso pueblo. Anyone can scratch the name "Marie" on the bottom of an old black on black bowl and then according to eBay rules (last time I heard) list it under "Native American" or call it "American Indian".