Can anyone please help me identify the makers, and the type of Turquoise used in this Navajo belt?
Most likely made by Dorothy Secatero (Navajo).
I’m mostly wrong with mines, so I’ll not guess
I would characterize this as Navajo style work, and the Turquoise as likely Chinese (could also be Kingman). Why don’t you tell us a bit about where you found it, how you came to own it, and what you do know about it?
I obtained the peace from a dealer in round top that got it out of an estate in Florida. I was told that the estate holder was an avid collector of Navajo and had an extensive collection of which I bought multiple pieces from the dealer. This was the largest piece and the one that was most difficult to identify. I’ve actually reached out to a gallery in New Mexico that carries Dorothy Secretos’s son‘s work and via third-party sent photos to the gallery and was told that the gallery owner sent the photos to Dorothy‘s son, and he made a remark that he did not believe that his that it was his mother‘s work I did not see the email directly, so I do not know if this is hearsay or truth as I have not been able to get a hold of her son or her. I have been told she is still living and I cannot find a obituary for her so I’m hoping that maybe someone has a connection And I can get this mystery solved.
I think that @Steve has hit a bullseye. Shades of the West hallmarks appear to match the OP’s photo with the copyright & diamond symbols and the “DS” initials appear to match - the lower portion of the “S” both being a smaller loop than the top portion.
the “DS” snip is from the 1st post photo
the diamond star & copyright would be from shades of the west & the DS would be from the artist of the day who made it