Tony Pro
Sitis’s Friend
Echoes in the Morning Shadows
Ancestral Hues
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The September issue of Arizona Highways has an article on the photographer Elizabeth Compton Hegeman, and I love this old photo from it.
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Thanks Zia! Love these old photos. I’m diggin’ the belt with the sandcast buckle on the Navajo man. Actually, they’re all looking good and would qualify for the Turquoise Fashion thread. 
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Thank you for sharing this @Ziacat! I too am fond of these early photographs. I must agree with @TAH, that belt looks just grand, as do all of them. One can only imagine the beauty of the Navajo man’s ketoh as well!
Regards,
Aaron
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TAH sees an old Navajo photo and he goes right to the belt buckles.
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Wait! There’s other jewelry in that photograph? 
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Carl Moon, Koy-yahwa’mah – Hopi, hand tinted photograph
I’m thinking we might need to start collecting ketohs.
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I concur! It is a form I have always admired and appreciated. I’ve been tempted a few times within the past 6 months or so, as I’ve come across some absolutely stunning (to me) early examples, containing lovely stampwork and repousse elements. About a month ago I came extremely close to acquiring these two…
But as has been said, “close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades”
Thank you for the push Tom 
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Aaron,
If you’re not ready to go down the ketoh rabbit hole, but you like the bottom pattern, how about this…
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Tom,
I AM ready 
…I respect the ceremonial and historical aspects of the ketoh. What is probably my biggest opponent when considering a purchase is the fact that most of the ones I’ve seen or considered, won’t fit my wrists, and I would wear one in a heartbeat…that’s been my justification in the past anyway.
This ketoh-converted-buckle is fabulous, and I’ve looked at it a few times. Personally, I like the stampwork on the arms as well as on the back of the belt loop, I thought that was a neat touch. The small spherical cast elements are enjoyable, as is the fan pattern underlying the setting. The patina is preferable as well. What are your thoughts?
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I’m thinking the pattern under the setting looks like it’s possibly from tufa casting? Beautiful buckle.
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I certainly wouldn’t disagree with that @Ziacat, the rough texture of the backside of the casting under the setting, as well as the rest of the back of the buckle for that matter, does support the tufa cast theory!
With no intent of derailing this thread, upon close inspection, it appears these two ketohs were cast from the same mold. Other than the blatantly obvious, I’ve pointed out some specifics to shore up that statement.
#1 - The angle of this corner isn’t quite 90
degrees
#2 - Same as above. While more pronounced, I
feel, in this corner, but evident here
as well as the #1 corner
#3 - This particular cast feature, on both
examples, terminates in a “pointed” fashion
#4 - The angle of these two features appear
identical on both ketohs.
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From the same mold or master. Typically casters poured a lead casting from the original carved tufa mold and used it as a master, or as a physical backup to make additional copies of the carved tufa designs as sand castings. Professional sand casters like Francis Begay will have a tool box full of masters of different designs that they can pull out of the collection and cast from on demand.
I actually have a book full of these patterns Francis allowed me to catalog, photocopy, and number so I can order castings from him by design number. I have one book, and Francis has the other.
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Mike,
Thank you, as always, for your wonderful input. I’d no knowledge of these details but it makes perfect sense.
What a treasure you’ve got in the book you and Francis share! I love hearing things like this, the aspects of working together, historical attributes, and a recorded, reference of work such as what you speak of is just marvelous.
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This is closest I’ll ever get to owning one (I think you may have mentioned this reminded you a little bit of a Ketoh) 
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Thank you for this explanation. I thought I understood tufa vs. sandcasting, but was still a little confused. Now I think I get it!
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It certainly reminds me of one! Especially with the buttons and stampwork, not to mention the wonderful size of it. What a lovely cuff @Ziacat, that stone is magnificent.
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I think you’re all reading my mind. I share your sentiments. Love everything about this buckle. The 3.25" width is a little small for me, so I moved on down the trail.
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