Horizontally Oriented Silver Belt Buckle [SOLD]

Johnny Mike Begay was a jeweler associated with Dean Kirk, John Kennedy and White Hogan, all dealers in Native arts and crafts.  Begay lived in Houck, Arizona.  He received several awards at the 1976 Santa Fe Indian Market, apparently the last year of his life.  His work was included in “Jewels of the Southwest” at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe in 2002.

This simple and elegant modern style buckle is comprised of thick silver stock with parallel ridges running across the top.  The depressions between the tracks are darkened silver.  It was purchased from Many Hands Gallery of Sedona, Arizona, on July 6, 1986.

Condition: very good condition with very minor scratches on the edge.

Provenance: from the estate of a long-time client of Adobe Gallery who amassed a collection of 40 belt buckles, all of which we hopefully will be posting on-line.

Reference: American Indian Jewelry I: 1,200 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf