A few months ago, I purchased the book, A Study of Navajo Concha Belts, by Donald Richards.
If you don’t own this book already, it is simply awesome and it inspired me to fill a void in my belt buckle collection. The void was a traditional center bar buckle commonly found on concho belts. A big thanks to my forum friend, @OrbitOrange, who found this buckle on a dealer’s website after my extensive search came up empty. If not for her alertness and thoughtfulness, I would have missed it. Thanks again, Double OO!!
Anyway, here’s the buckle followed by a group photo with my other buckles that I have posted before and some belt photos for size relevance. Feel free to post your belt buckles and concho belts. Would love to see them all in one thread!
Roger Skeet, Jr., ca. 1950s, 3 3/4” x 3 3/8”, 67.2 grams
Love them, love them!! I only have buckles, not a full concha belt. Mostly because I couldn’t wear it through my belt loops. I know some ladies strap them around sweaters or dresses, but it drives me nuts to wear stuff that way cuz always seems like the fabric inches around and annoys me. And if I can’t wear it, I pretty much don’t buy it. But goodness do I love to look at them!
Let’s get this (buckle) party started!
These 3 I inherited from my parents. The snake buckle is, I believe, by Dan Simplicio. I can’t prove it, because it’s not hallmarked, but when my dad bought it in 1971 he received documentation from the store. Unfortunately the receipts are missing, but we still have the box it came in with information written on there. And dad had himself written down more stuff about the buckle. I’ve had it looked at in many different places out west including the Heard Museum, and they all felt it was his. Whatever the case, it’s a beautiful piece. The other two were my mom’s. Probably my favorite buckle is the one on the right. The bottom one with the green stone (possibly Kings Manassa) she got in the 90’s.
Yes, the top one is a pendant, but I put it there because it had been a buckle in it’s past life. The one on the left is probably the simplest, but I wear it a lot because it goes with so much. Got it at the (Grand Canyon) Hopi House in '82.
Most of my buckles are rodeo related, but this is my favorite “fancy” buckle (the hallmark is so tiny I need a magnifying glass to remember who made it):
Beautiful! BTW, I like rodeo buckles! I have a whole drawer full of vintage brass buckles that were all made in my home state of Indiana in the '70s. Found one of them in Tombstone, AZ of all places.
@Ziacat Very nice buckle collection with good variety! They’re all very nice. The Simplicio buckle is a little piece of history. Really like the sandcast and its beautiful stone.
@TAH Great thread, and thanks for info about the book. Another addition I need in my library. When I have a chance I’ll post my favorite concho belt. It’s unmarked, but I was pulled over when wearing it at a Native American show and told they we sure it was Roger Skeets Sr. (I had no idea, just loved the belt). It looks very similar to the the belt on the front of the book; is that a Roger Skeets belt?
This, I think, is my favorite concho belt. First phase revival belt, circa 40’s or 50’s. Pawned November 1st, 1965 at Tobe Turpin’s. Eight conchos, 3 3/8 X 3 inches each, 745 g. I call this my Jim Morrison belt—some of you may remember that Jim Morrison’s concho belt is my “grail” piece, but this may be as close as I get:
@OrbitOrange That belt design was stylish well over 100 years ago and it will be stylish for another 100 years. Awesome belt that would undoubtedly get Morrison’s approval!
@TAH love this! The quintessential butterfly belt design with turquoise, with espescially nice turquoise and great repousse. And what a great way to display it! If your wife and daughter ever get tired of that one, let me know.
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drop!
