A forum friend brought this very unique concho belt to my attention. You all need to see this…
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Wow. That’s pretty incredible! However, even though I totally appreciate the amazing work involved, I’m not really loving it. But it would be great in a museum!
It seems odd that they don’t know the artist.
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@TAH Unsigned. I’m trying to wrap my head around that. What an astonishing, phenomenal piece of art! Just wow.
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It’s a tour de force, no doubt, but is it in fact US made? The unsigned aspect is notable, and not to be expected for high-end US production in this day and age. If I were in the market for this, I’d sure want solid provenance.
Reminds me of the vaguely attributed silver with inlay “kachina” figurines out there, like the wares sold here: https://silverstarjewelryaz.com/heee-silver-inlay-kachina-made-by-drf-jr-071020/
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Sorry but I’m not impressed by any of it. Looks like items put together for one purpose, to make big money. No provenance, no maker, and IMHO, nothing denoting the feeling of the maker and devoid of real character, or maybe I’m just a traditionalist.
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Yeah, something about that belt doesn’t sit right with me. Definitely not my style, but if it were, I would need provenance to match that price tag.
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I sure would not spend that amount of money without having some background or provenance on it. It’s neat looking but I wonder if someone didn’t take some of their figurines and tie them onto a belt in order to sell something big! You just don’t know.
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Well, since we missed this guy when he was such a deal…
Sorry bout that, I couldn’t stop myself 
The Navajo samurai
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For being described as “vintage”, the leather looks new/modern with its score lines and maker’s stamp. For $25,000, I’m not really diggin’ the slotted conchos that look like they came from Tandy Leather.
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It will be interesting to see what happens. It says there’s 22 people watching it 
but at least they can “breathe easy, free returns”…
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I’m mostly wondering how one could move around at all when wearing a belt like that. I’d be terrified!
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I would rock it tough 
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@Ziacat
Tee hee! The Navajo samurai! Lest we forget!
You did buy him, didn’t you? He guards your fab turquoise collection!
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I confess, I’m one of the watchers 
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Haha me too or at least try to 
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Hahahahahah, he was almost worth buying, just for the entertainment purpose! I think he went for a ridiculous amount of money considering what it is, if I remember right. You wouldn’t believe the laughs my family had over the pics of that thing. For those of you who missed it …
Never understood the need for 3 purple helicopters before
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Holy Moly!!! Unique doesn’t quite cover it. @chicfarmer is right on, it does seem similar to a smaller version of those silver turquoise inlay kachinas. I saw one of these large silver guys in a jewelry shop years ago and thought ‘why would you buy that when there’s so much wonderful signed silver/turquoise work by authentic Native Americans?’ And, what makes anyone think they are Zuni? Just goes to show you that just what you think you’ve seen everything……
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How about this terrific Lee Begay, Tufa Cast Silver Yei’ be’ Chei’ Concho Belt, courtesy of Perry Null Trading Company. 
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See David Freeland, Philippines. If this wasn’t made in one of his workshops there, I’d be truly amazed.
His son, Dave Jr. resides in Tucson. https://www.davidfreelandopals.com/
ETA: Made by “DRF JR” (David R. Freeland Jr. ?).
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I think I’ve posted about the Freelands before. First time I met them was in 1980 at the Denver gift show. Dave Jr. was selling magnificent “Zuni” style inlay and pettit point concha belts in the parking lot outside the show, out of the back of his pickup.
The next time I ran into Dave Jr. was at breakfast in the Hotel du Cygne in Paris in 1982. I was there with a case full of Zuni Jewelry to meet a client who had stores in the south of France, and David Jr. and his father Dave Sr. were there with cases of jewelry to meet with “Bruno” a Paris Jewlery company specializing in “Native American” jewelry. Dave and his son were literally at the next table with their cases for the hotel breakfast and we started chatting. I mentioned I was there with Zuni merchandise, and Dave Jr. opened up his case to show me what he had. It looked like Zuni jewelry, and I mean exactly like Zuni jewelry — all made in the Philippines, and he easily had three times the volume I had with me. I was floored, and thought to myself, how the hell do you compete with that?
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