Belt, A Vintage, Buckle, Cast, Turquoise, Mark Chee, Vintage 40's, 758

A cast for the collector!

This stunning statement belt is a 1940s-era cast creation by renowned Navajo artisan Mark Chee (1914-1981). The late silversmith was well-respected for his craftsmanship in several styles, including cast silver, and his work is now considered collectible and highly sought-after. This particular piece is a substantial sterling silver belt buckle, cast in a webbed openwork design and adorned with three specimen stones of beautiful blue turquoise framed in rope detail and accented by silver drops. The buckle is affixed to a vintage strap to complement its charm.

Mark Chee (1914 - 1981; Navajo). Active 1934-1942 and 1945-1970s. Jewelry, objects; multiple styles; silver, copper, repoussé; inset nuggets; chisel work. Attended the Santa Fe Indian School. Chee worked mostly in Santa Fe, NM at Southwest Arts and Crafts in the 1930s. and later for Packard’s Chaparral Trading Post in the late 1940s, and Art Rogers at the Wooden Indian Trading Post. He is the younger brother of Joe Chee. 

Marks: dchee (inside a bird figure); M. CHEE (this early mark is on a copper dish, also marked with the UITA 12 stamp assigned to Packard’s)

• artist: Mark Chee
• affiliation: Navajo
• hallmarks: M. CHEE
• materials: sterling silver, turquoise, vintage leather strap
• dimensions: 3 1/4" x 2 1/4", strap is 32"
  
• weight: 202 grams
• nice vintage condition
  
• stones are secure in their settings
• abrasions and surface wear commensurate with age
• silver has a nice patina
• wear from ethnographic use
• style number: Belt-758