@TAH I’m glad you adopted that buckle and are giving it the wear and enjoyment it deserves! I just got a new buckle that I had been coveting for some time and finally broke down and got. By one of my favorite artists, Clarence Lee, Navajo. I love his storyteller style work, and thought this was a fantastic example that I just couldn’t get out of my head until I made it mine:
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Congrats OO! What a neat buckle to go with the rest of your Lee collection. The more I see his work, the more I want to own a piece. Love the way he maximizes space to tell a story. Also like his hallmark being used as a brand on the horse. Too cool!
Check out this concho belt that sold at Bonhams in 2019: Bonhams : A Clarence Lee Storyteller concha belt
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The amount of detail in this buckle is off the charts! Love it, congrats 
I love how the horses really seem like two horses in perspective, almost heading out of the frame!
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took a moment to process the “hoodie”…oh…duh,cradleboard
lol
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Such an awesome buckle. And being a horsewoman, love it double!
If I squint it reminds me a wee bit of the Amish buggies we see around here…
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Sweeeeet buckle! I know the feeling when you can’t stop thinking about a piece. Glad you got it before it got away,that’s a whole other feeling 
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Yep, buy quality and only cry once. 
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I’ve really gotta start wearing belts so I can get a nice buckle. 
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That buckle is amazing and looks expensive. I’m guessing it was one long cry.
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Are those pieces of coral shadow boxed on the back of each piece? How interesting.
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Yep, the coral in the cuff and the buckle are carved into flowers, it blew my mind!
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Amazing suite by Wil Vandever! Gorgeous turquoise and incredible silverwork. Typically I am not a fan of the this over-the-top style, but am a fan of Vandever’s other work. Interesting the different bezel work in the cabs set in the buckle!
Although personally I wouldn’t wear this style, I can certainly appreciate them as incredible pieces of art, and my horizons are expanding!
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This has to be one of the longest ongoing posts! Wonderful to see the variety of buckles/concho belts and the interest in these wonderful pieces of wearable art!
This is large, heavy old concho belt I recently found at a fabulous cluttered, cloister-phobic dusty antique shop. The owner only carried mainly western, mining and Native American, and had a wonderful variety of huge baskets, pottery and antiquities. In my discussion he pulled out this belt to show me, and of course I had to buy it (and it just happened to fit me!). I know nothing about this style of belt with the wide leather, but the I love the conchos and the amazing patina.
Is there any discussion of this style of belt the concho belt book? I know, I know, I need to buy it🥴.
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Amazing belt! How are the conchos and butterflies affixed to the leather? The conchos especially seem to have some extra depth dimension to them.
Amazing belt, indeed, and beautiful table!
The concho belt book only shows wide leather backings/straps on Phase 2 & 3 belts. Narrow straps were used on Phase 1 belts due to the conchos’ open slot centers. I don’t believe there is any significance to the wide leather straps other than style and perhaps a better way of keeping the conchos in place. Personally, I love wide leather concho belts. Your belt would be considered Phase 3 style with closed center conchos, butterfly conchos, and turquoise settings. Shown in the book, here is a belt that appears to be identical.
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From what I’m learning on this forum, my understanding is that I live in the wrong state for antique store and estate sale shopping😆
Awesome belt!!
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@AC i should have included a picture of the underside showing the attachment of the conchos. The thinner leather that secured the conchos comes through the wide belt and is used as the buckle.
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Thanks @TAH, this is the information I was hoping to find. I knew about the Phase 1 belts with the belt coming through the opening in the middle of the concho, but the narrow belt attaching the conchos under the wide belt was new to me and really pretty cleaver! The leather on mine appears to be original; it’s thick and has a fair amount of discoloration from the conchos, etc.
My husband bought the table at “Cowboy Christmas” at the Grand National rodeo in Las Vegas about 18-20 years ago. We love it!
Thanks again…I’m ordering the book today!
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