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Pete Johnson Navajo Sterling Silver Belt Buckle Carico Lake Green Turquoise Repousse
This authentic Navajo belt buckle is made from thick, heavy-gauge sterling silver. It measures 3 ⅛\" long by 2 ¼\" wide and weighs 88 grams. The rear loop will accommodate a 1 ¼\" belt. At the center is a high-domed, natural Carico Lake turquoise stone featuring the mine\'s signature green color and brown matrix. It is in excellent used condition with minor surface wear consistent with age and light use. To make the buckle, the artist used hand-carved steel stamps to hammer out the sunburst pattern and push the silver forward from the back to create the raised repoussé shapes. The back has a solid belt bar and pin, and it is hand-signed in script \"Pete Johnson\" and a sterling stamp in block letters.
The silversmith, Pete Johnson, was born around 1956 and grew up in Forest Lake, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation. He learned his trade from prominent Southwestern jewelers, most notably the award-winning master silversmith Thomas Curtis, who took him in and mentored him alongside his daughter, Jennifer Curtis. Johnson was also mentored by artist Al Joe. Through this training, he mastered the heavy stampwork and deep repoussé techniques shown in this piece. This exceptional piece offers a remarkable opportunity for collectors to own a premium, heavy-weight piece of Southwestern history. Please review the 24 photos as part of the description. The photos are on both a white and a black background.
