Tim and Jim worked primarily with silver in the early 70's because it was all they could afford at the time. In the beginning, their primary motivation for learning to make jewelry was to set the numerous agates they had collected as kids. They sold this silver jewelry at art fairs on weekends. Later they partnered with a man who had opals and transitioned into selling to jewelry stores and gift shops. Their manufacturing facilities were located in Bemidji, Minnesota. The brothers fledgling wholesale company was put out of business by the oil embargo , and in 1974 they opened a retail store in Astoria . Most of their work was hand fabricated silver jewelry. But, in 1976, they purchased casting equipment and began to work with gold and precious gemstones, which they continue to do to this day. In the mid-70s, they also experimented with bronze sculptures and forged stainless steel. Below are a few examples of these early works from the Gannaway brothers.
