FIRM ON PRICE-SORRY BUT NO  DISCOUNTS APPLY TO THIS ITEM

Dependent upon my trustworthy “eye” for magnificent, one-of-a-kind designs, exquisite and impeccable workmanship, as well as anything that stands apart and is different from the countless pieces you see flooded all over the internet and displayed in every gallery—these were just a few of the many reasons that told me this was a belt I absolutely had to have! It is literally a “Piece of Lapidary Art” that truly deserves to be admired and appreciated for its intricate workmanship and unique time-consuming beauty.

Using the entire Spiny Oyster design set in sterling silver with a beautifully scalloped bezel was very likely inspired by the renowned and highly sought-after Zuni master artisan,LAMBERT HOMER (see photo 5). However, this particular artisan did not simply replicate Lambert’s work piece by piece. Instead, he designed his own unique artistic expression, elevating the Zuni tradition by thoughtfully incorporating symbolic elements deeply meaningful to the Zuni Pueblo people. This approach honors the heritage while pushing the boundaries of traditional Zuni workmanship.

Just one of the things this concho belt is unique for, is for the fact that on each & every concho, no where will you find the same design! Each scream their own creative expression, with each being different from the next!

The Zuni “Sunface” motif, (you can Google “Zuni Sunface” to learn more) along with the depiction of rain clouds, the rain, and the intricately designed mosaic turquoise sky theme, are signature elements deeply meaningful to the Zuni people. These symbols represent vital natural forces, believed to bring much-needed rain essential for nurturing and sustaining the corn crops that are central to their culture and livelihood.

THE DESIGN:

Using smaller, precisely sized whole Spiny Oyster shells that sit elegantly housed in sterling silver settings, the tops of these shells feature a distinctive, more pointed “tip,” while the bottom portion is designed with a beautifully scalloped bezel design. These shells serve as the perfect base for the exceptional lapidary art each piece showcases.

The turquoise stones originate from both the Sleeping Beauty mine and the Kingman mine, both located in Arizona, and they complement each other remarkably well in tone and hue. Each turquoise piece is carefully cut, shaped, and then exquisitely beveled by hand before being meticulously placed atop the shell in a cobblestone mosaic pattern, fitting together seamlessly like the pieces of an intricate puzzle. These turquoise cuts symbolize the “sky,” which metaphorically provides the rain.

The “Sunface” designs incorporate triangular cuts of shimmering Mother of Pearl that represent the “rays” of the sun, while inside the Mother of Pearl face, cuts of dark red coral, turquoise, and black jet add depth and contrast. The surfaces alternate with a traditional Puebloan “Raincloud-Rain” motif, beautifully rendered using a combination of turquoise and Mother of Pearl to depict rainfall in a harmonious and meaningful design.

THE BELT:

This originally came with a hard, super thick leather belt that I personally felt was not ‘pliable’ enough for comfortable wear, so I had my friend, who specializes in working with leather, change it out to something a little softer and more pliable. The new belt is now much easier to work with and feel more comfortable over time. She carefully chose the black “Pebble” leather, which adds a subtle touch of character and texture while feeling much better to the touch..

The belt has a 1-5/8” width & from the tip on the buckle to the shortest hole is punched for a 31” waist & can fit up to a 39” waist. The full length of the belt is 44.5”,so if you need additional holes punched, you can easily have this done to accommodate a larger waist. Any belt excess can be tucked under the belt so it lays parallel with the belt.(Or some just leave the excess hang-your call!)

PLEASE GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PHOTOS I PROVIDED YOU WITH SINCE THEY ALSO PLAY A ROLE TO THE DESCRIPTION

********************i

INFO:

ARTIST: NA (Doing my research, I cannot find anything with this NA hallmark.. Not sure if this is the artist’s initials or if it stands for "Native American"???)

TURQUOISE: Sleeping Beauty & Kingman Turquoise

OTHER MATERIALS: Luminescent White Mother of Pearl-Gold Lip Oyster Shell-Dark Red Coral-Either Black Jet {or Black Onyx?}

METAL: Sterling

FINISH: Naturally Developed Darkened Patination.

WEIGHT: 1 POUND 5.8 OUNCES ** { 21.7 OUNCES} **{616 GRAMS}

CONCHOS: 11 with Buckle

EACH CONCHO MEASUREMENT: 3-1/8" Tall x 2-1/4" Wide

BELT: 1-5/8" Wide

BELT MATERIAL/COLOR: Soft-Pliable "PEBBLE" Black Leather (Brand New)

1st BELT HOLE AT: 31" (Measured from the buckle tip) LAST HOLE: 39"

TOTAL BELT LENGTH: About 44.5" (From the tip on buckle to the end of the leather belt)

HALLMARK: NA /Sterling

CONDITION: This is 1970’s Vintage & is not new, but has been very well kept & is in very wearable condition! I do not have details as to what the interior of the sellers house was-No chipped, cracked or missing stones, no dings on the sterling..Sterling has a naturally developed patina..I do not clean valuable patina off of vintage jewelry.. Very Well Kept!

Will come bubble wrapped well & boxed!

*******************************
SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT:
Anything with a high price tag, will have a mandatory signature confirmation requirement & will come insured (reflected in shipping price).. If you're not home in the day & need it shipped where it can be signed for,please change that in your "Ship To" section before I create the shipping label***I'm sorry if this may be an inconvenience, but I do not ship expensive pieces without one. This is for your safety & mine.

PLEASE READ BEFORE PURCHASING:
I do not consider myself a 'professional photographer" but I do try my hardest to give you photos that are 'realistic" in color. Please realize that all monitors are different, so the materials can look more vivid (or duller) from one computer to the next.(Especially with anything with ‘yellow’ in it (Orange & greens)

To give you close up photos,pictures tend to make the item look much more larger & everything is more magnified than in actuality. So to get an accurate idea of how big this is, please either check it out being worn to get a rough idea (see photos) or you can pull out a tape measure & compare to my given measurements above.