Sorry, I can’t judge era for this, but we might dig around to find Harris’s productive period.
Thanks @chicfarmer, its a different belt; I’ll do a bit more digging. The belt was with some things I bought from an elderly woman who lived in Santa Fe back in the 90’s. As far as I know she still lives not too far away. I need to call her and plan a visit before too long. Her memory is still amazing; maybe she will have some information. I plan on selling it and I’d like to know as much information as possible😊.
I’m curious, it looks like @TAH, the Heard Museum, and I all share sibling tufa buckles - to add, I’ve seen pictures of Ralph Lauren (the designer himself) with the same buckle. See in the next post an interesting entry in Indian Jewelry of the American Southwest by Turnbaugh featuring yet another identical buckle, but dating it to the 1950s! Perhaps the Heard Museum is… incorrect on dating this to the early 1900s?
See the page from Turnbaugh and pictures of Ralph Lauren on the runway. See also another identical piece that was for sale by Fine Arts of the Southwest (run by the Diamonts) last year and dated by them to the 1950s (picture with front and back of buckle).
To add to the mystery; a sterling replica by Arnold Goldstein recently surfaced on eBay. I wonder if Ralph’s buckle is a replica, since Arnold made jewelry for him for decades, or if that buckle was cast from Ralph’s original piece!
Nice looking buckle you have there!
I purchased the Fine Arts of the Southwest buckle about a year ago, but I almost passed on it due to its overly high polish. It took considerable time and effort to achieve the patina that you see in the photos of my original post. I have exchanged emails with Bill Turnbaugh regarding these buckles. Here are his thoughts on age: "As for dating, we felt we were being conservative in estimating the 1950s. The date could possibly be a decade or even two decades earlier. We found ours in Flagstaff in the late 1980s. It came from an estate whose previous owner had bought it as an “older piece” c. 1970 at a trading post in the Four Corners area."
I am aware of Ralph Lauren buckle, but it was Bill Turnbaugh’s buckle that I admired for years and fueled my desire to own one. As for the Arnold Goldstein copies, it’s probably best that I do not publicly comment.
Im guessing the majority of members on this forum will always refer to this style of buckle as the “TAH buckle”
Sometimes when I’m browsing online I come across a belt/buckle and think “I bet TAH would like this”
We have similar taste, Tara, so more than likely, I would like it. The question is, would my bank account like it?
Nice! I hope that one is getting some use.
Just picked up these 2 guys. The 1st buckle is approximately 3” by 2” and weighs 82 grams. Some sloppy soldering work on back. It is unsigned. The shiny silver buckle is smaller, it is marked J Wright and sterling. I looked in Hougart’s 3rd edition but did not see name. Anyone know the name?
According to many references on the internet, J.Wright is Jerome Wright, Navajo. Cool buckle, Joe. I like it!
The sloppy soldering may be due to the use of a gas torch. Only the best of the best could make that look good.
Is urs signed?
Need 20 characters here’s some snakes
It is not. No Hallmark. It’s a bit different than yours on the back.
Mom couldn’t remember much about it except that she bought it on a trip West we took in '69 (I was 4 so I don’t remember it at all). I think she prob got it when we were at the Grand Canyon; I’m guessing at the Hopi House or Verkamps’s, because she remembered being in those shops. Also because I have a pic of her wearing it at the silly Flintstone Bedrock town just south of GC. So it’s not new.
Do you know anything about yours?
Found this today. My first concho belt. It is acid testing as sterling. Hope it is not just plated. What do y’all think?
Looks like its size will easily pass through belt loops encouraging much wear time. Nice looking belt. Congrats!
Do you have any info about yours?
No I know nothing about mine, I purchased it online for a great price. I love the turquoise in yours
Well shoot. I was hoping you knew something bout yours since they look so much alike. I wonder if they could be same artist…except the backs where the stones are look very different. All I know is mine is no newer than '69. Maybe yours is same time frame.
Thanks, I was told by the lady who fixed it that it’s Bisbee. The turquoise in yours is really pretty too. When I blow it up, it looks like it could be what they call waterweb Kingman.