Sterling Silver First Phase Style Concha Belt [SOLD]

Special Value Offer: the consignor has agreed to offer this at a 1/3rd price reduction from $3000 to $2000.

It has been postulated that the Navajo concha/concho belt had its origin among the Plains Indians, not as a belt, but, rather, as a hair drop.  Plains Indian braves wore silver discs, usually made of German silver, strapped on a piece of rawhide and hung from their hair and down their backs.  It was from these hair drops of round discs that the Navajo got the idea to make conchas of similar shape but to string them on leather and wear them as belts.

The earliest concha belts were made around 1868 after the captured Navajo were allowed to leave Bosque Redondo and return to a portion of their former location.  These first ones were generally made from coin silver, were round and had a diamond-shaped hole cut in the center through which the belt was laced and was visible.  These have been referred to as First Phase Concha Belts and that period lasted until around 1900.  Subsequent designs and shapes followed this first phase.

One of the changes made after the first round conchas were made was to make the discs oval and to retain the cutout in the center.  The cutout eventually disappeared so that the concha disc was solid with no cutout and the belt was laced through a loop of copper on the back of the concha. Many variations of shape, size and design followed from 1900 to the current day.

One of the popular design shapes and style that appeared in the 20^th century was oval conchas with scalloped edges, with a lacey appearance, and with stamped designs on the concha.  The first phase diamond cutout was reintroduced as in this belt but the leather was still secured with a copper strip on the back side.  So, we have a semi first phase belt that has smaller silver discs with stamped designs.  Put ten of these on a strip of leather, add a buckle and you have a beautiful silver belt to wear day in and day out.

This belt has the hallmark of Navajo silversmith Austin Wilson who was active from the 1920s to 1976.  He was Navajo but lived near the Zuni Pueblo.  He was one of 38 Navajo smiths living near Zuni Pueblo and working with Charlie Kelsey, owner of one of the three trading posts at Zuni.  It is not clear if he was employed by Kelsey or sold jewelry to Kelsey.  His work was in the enormous collection of former Zuni trader C. G Wallace.

Condition: this Sterling Silver First Phase Style Concha Belt is in original condition with an excellent patina

Provenance: from a gentleman from Colorado

Reference: American Indian Jewelry II: M-Z, 2,100 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf