1900 Second Phase Silver Navajo Concho Belt,Native American Jewelry,Collectable

Description

1900 Second Phase Silver Navajo Concho Belt,Native American Jewelry,Collectable.
1900-1915 Second Phase Navajo Silver and Copper with leather Concho Belt by Unknown Artist.
Measurements: Concho size 3.25" x 4" diameter; Buckle size: 2.5" height x 3.25" width; Overall size 49.5" length
This Concho belt contains 8 domed, oval,stamped silver conchos with scalloped edges, secured with copper loops to a leather belt that conforms to the oval shapes. At center of each concho is a repousse form with radiating chased lines. The rectangular, stamped, silver buckle includes four repousse forms and scalloped edges, on a dark brown leather belt.
Appraised.
Second Phase Navajo concho belts are noted for repousse, a technique used to give dimension to silver.Another easily identifiable feature that differs the Second Phase concho belt from the First Phase is the use of copper loops behind the conchos  with which to wear one leather, rather than a more primitive center for slot opening in the center of the concho to slide the leather through.
The second phase of Navajo concho belts also marked the graduation from completely hand-cut pieces to ones that were made using solder techniques, a long and difficult process for the early Navajo silversmith. Although the process was considered "revolutionary", these pieces were made during the same time a the First Phase, beginning in the 1880's and for mane decades afterwards by aging silversmiths.