Very nice buckles, Joe. I can see you’re a vintage collector. I really like the bottom right buckle. Do you have any information on it?
Tom,
seller believed it is from the 40’s. No hallmark and fits a 1 1/4 inch belt. It’s one of my favorites to wear
Love these! The lizard on the buckle is pretty cool. I think maybe the middle right buckle (or one very much like it) is pictured somewhere in a book I have. I’ll see if I can find it.
Do you know where any of the turquoise is from? Beautiful colors, especially the middle left one.
I seem to go through phases. I kinda stopped wearing them as much when I mostly only wore skinny jeans. Now that I’m wearing other styles also, I feel like buckles work better with my jeans. I’m also a fan of the half tuck, which sometimes makes wearing a belt and buckle easier. I’ve never done well with wearing them over a long sweater or tunic; annoys me.
Give it a try…they are another good reason to look for beautiful Native art!
The middle right one the seller believed to be blue gem turquoise. Not sure about the others.
I can see why it is one of your favorites, Joe. It looks heavy. Interesting how it has repousse work around the border - add a couple of thunderbirds and you’ve got something special. I am really into center bar buckles these days, so my eyes went right to it.
I agree on the center bar buckle. I would really love to see a close up of the stamps. They’re obviously handmade, but quite unusually intricate. Good closeups would be most welcome. I’m very interested in the processes and techniques used to make them. This was one hell of a fine stamp maker!
Thanks Joe.
All of the stamps are intriguing, but I found the thunderbird really interesting. Most of the shape was done with very fine files, and it looks like the stamp maker used a series of small stamps to create the pattern on the tail, and the interior pattern. It’s an interesting process. The steel - usually from found objects like, files, automotive valve stems, rebar, cement nails, automotive leaf springs, etc., is annealed, rough ground to shape on a grinding wheel, filed to refine the shape, and stamped with a series smaller stamps to create the patterns, then heat hardened by bringing the stamp surface to the color of ripened wheat, and quenched in oil or water. Stamps like these last a lifetime, and are often passed on from one generation to another.
These stamps are quite exceptional, and are works of art in their own right. TAH is right. You have something very special.
@mmrogers, would you weigh in on the border? I know TAH mentioned it being repousse, but I wonder if repousse work would in fact have been the method or if perhaps it could’ve been machine pressed?
Another fan of this Tbird buckle.
Thank you for all the info. I’m learning a lot on this site!!
Would need clearer photos or a close up examination of the buckle to tell for sure. I’ve never seen another buckle quite like this so it’s sort of a head scratcher.
Looking at the back, it doesn’t look like a die stamping. Looks more like it was cast from a wax master.
The photo is a bit blurry so the really fine details just aren’t visible, but there are elements like the beveling on the inside of the buckle that look like hand beveling. Likewise the “rope” stamping around the center of the buckle looks like it was done by hand. Both of these elements would be faithfully reproduced in a lost wax casting process from a hand made, or partially handmade master.
The repousse too looks like it could have been done by hand, but there is an odd consistency to it, and I’ve never seen a Navajo silversmith do repousse in quite that fashion. It’s certainly attractive enough.
Looking as closely as I can at the stampwork, the diamond stamp is wildly detailed, and the outside scalloping isn’t something I’ve ever seen done quite that way. The way the stamp is detailed it sort of looks like it was carved in wax, cast and used to make an impression in a wax or metal master. Same with the horseshoe stamp.
I’m going to guess that this is maybe a Harvey era piece that was fabricated specifically for casting. It’s really well done, and some real skill went into making it but I suspect it was commercially produced in quantity, and perhaps strung on the stylized leather strap at the factory or workshop.
It’s a very cool buckle.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Joe’s buckle, mmrogers. Super interesting!
Yes mmrogers thank you for your insights and thoughts. Makes me love the buckle even more.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful buckle collection with us Joe.
Stumbled across Ogg’s the beginning of this month. Had scoped out the Heard’s collection prior to our other stops in the area. Was glad I hadn’t purchased anything before going to Ogg’s. Jeff said he had been a buyer for FH. Yes he shared a lot of knowledge and basically was selling from his own museum. It will definately be a MUST stop any time we’re in the area.
Oh my gosh, yes. I so want to go back, but not sure when I will be back in AZ (live in IN); hopefully within the next year or two since my best friend lives there. I have family in NM and CO and can’t usually take enough time off to get to all 3 states in one visit. Hope you found some beautiful stuff!
Thanks for posting that. I had tried but can’t figure out how to link articles yet. I have learned a lot from him. My silver cuff I posted bout a week ago was in there!