Vintage Kirk Smith Turquoise Concho Belt XL Sterling Silver Navajo RIP T

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Vintage Kirk Smith Turquoise Concho Belt XL Sterling Silver Navajo RIP T:
$9999.95

Vintage Kirk Smith Turquoise Concho Belt XL Sterling Silver Navajo RIP T
WELCOME to High Desert Turquoise on !
I recently purchased two vintage Native American collections and finally located new jewelry my late husband purchased for his craftsshow business in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Most of it was stored carefully as was this belt that has an old pawn finish to begin withthat mimics the patina of naturally aged sterling silver. This 24 year old, one of a kind investment level concho belt has never been worn,but the leather is still very supple.
Kirk Smith was a self made man who began his working career as a miner in the dangerous uranium mines that once were active on theNavajo reservation. Built like a bear but friendly and extroverted, he sported two rather imposing tattoos on his neck that seemed far lessimposing when he smiled which was often.
He came from a well known family of silversmiths and apprenticed with his then brother-in-law, the late legendary Harry Morgan wherehe learned the skills and techniques to create fine revivalist Navajo jewelry. Artistically he came into his own in the early years of the lastdecade, and his career skyrocketed like a Roman candle until a handful of greedy sellers in another online venue literally put him out ofbusiness in their race to the bottom with their selling prices. At that time, this same online venue was the biggest single market for hiswork. Other sellers quit buying his work. New pieces sat unsold of traders\' shelves so no new orders were placed.
By the middle of the last decade, Kirk had fallen on very hard times, but product diversification, new designs, and a new marketing planbrought him back. At the time of his death on September 17, 2012 in Albuquerque NM, Kirk had arguably replaced Harry Morgan as thereigning practitioner of classic revivalist Navajo design.
Stopping at a sandwich ship before returning home to Grants after buying jewelry making supplies in Albuquerque, Kirk, his wife, andcousin artist Calvin Martinez watched as a truck hit his truck in the parking lot. Kirk left his table and quickly reached the parking lot onlyto see the young driver laugh at him and attempted to leave the scene. Kirk jumped on the hood of the car hoping to stop the driver andwait for police to arrive. Instead, the driver sped off knocking Kirk off the hood onto the pavement where he received fatal head injuries.
Later that evening, police arrested a 16 year old Isleta Indian man for drunk driving and found evidence linking his truck with the incidentat the sandwich shop. He\'s currently charged with vehicular homicide.
UPDATE: The driver who backed up over Kirk, Tyler Jiron, was sentenced in August 2013 to 90 days in a treatment center, twoyears probation, and ordered to pay restitution to Smith\'s family, which Curley said hasn\'t happened. Kirk\'s family is justifiablyextremely upset because they feel justice hasn\'t been served. His Daughter, Natilda Curley, said the driver hasn\'t held accountable forthe damage he did so many people.
Lessons abound in this tragic story, and it\'s both obvious and trite to say that Native American jewelry world has lost one of its brighteststars. But since it\'s true, it needs to be said.
Kirk lived for several years in the Crown Point, New Mexico before moving south to Grants. He was an independent, self-employed artistwho directly marketed his art to many traders in New Mexico and Arizona.
From the time I first because aware of Kirk Smith jewelry in the late 1980s and early 1990s when I bought this belt and put it away towear. But frankly I forgot about it and, in any case, didn\'t then have a leather punch to make holes for the buckle\'s tongue. while standingin line in a Gallup jeweler\'s supply a few years ago, Kirk told me it was the largest concho belt he ever made.
This magnificent belt bears Kirk\'s original hallmark (KS in Gothic letters) which he used from the 1980s when he was apprenticing underhis then brother-in-law, Harry Morgan, until his recovery circa 2004-2005 when he began using a hallmark that read \'Kirk Smith\' in small,very condensed Gothic letters.
He used that hallmark only briefly. It really wasn\'t at all appropriate for the high quality, high end jewelry he himself was now marketingthroughout the southwest. His third and final mark was a far more elegant and appropriate hallmark that read \"Kirk Smith\' in flowingscript.
So you can always place within a specified time frame anything Kirk Smith made by the hallmark.
This super large belt features high grade dark sky blue Canonea turquoise cabochon (domed) stones with black vein matrix from the samemountain range that produced Bisbee and Morenci turquoise. The ten conchos including the oversized buckle. The buckle measures 3 and7/8ths\" by 5¼, the hand stamped butterfly conchos measure 3 and 5/8ths\" by 2,\" and the large hand stamped oval conchos measure 4¾\" by4.\"
Each concho has a rust brown leather reinforcement that\'s slightly larger than the concho itself. You can space the conchos along the beltand punch holes to create your perfect fit. The 1½\" leather belt is 47\" long and recommended for waists up to 45\" in circumference.
Sorry, this item can be shipped only to an address within the United States and because of its extraordinary value it will be shipped USPSRegistered Mail so that it will ship under lock and key from my Post Office to your home.
Kirk\'s first generation hallmark of KS and his sterling stamp are located on the back of the buckle.
You\'ll receive a Certificate of Authenticity with your purchase.
Please see list of excluded countries belowBEFOREpurchasing.All shipments must be sent to registered PayPal addressesonly.

Paymentis expected within seven days of purchase unless you make other mutually agreed on arrangements.

International Custom Fees and Duties:Import duties, taxes, and any import fees are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges if any are the buyer\'s responsibility. Please check with your country\'s customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to offerding/buying. These charges are normally collected by the delivering shipping company or post office -- please do not confuse them for additional shipping charges.

Returns:Sales are not made on an approval basis and you are expected to keep you what you’ve agreed to buy except for major misrepresentation or major defect.Returns must be approved in advance and then return shipped insured within 7 business days of receipt at your expense, and the item you received from me must be returned in itsoriginal conditionor full credit less all original shipping charges will not be given. Any damaged or altered items willnotbe accepted.

Questions:Questions about this item only, please, from serious buyers.I don\'t accept offers, do free appraisals, free research, put members in touch with artists, sell wholesale, or take custom orders sopleasedon\'t email me about these issues, out of idle curiosity, or send questions not pertaining to this item.

Extra Photos:Please remember that people buy millions of dollars’ worth of products each month in this country from catalogues where generally there’s onlyonephotograph and about three short descriptive lines. Sorry, no additional photos are available for this item.

Making Smart Buying Choices:I am a proud member of the Indian Arts and Crafts Association (IACA) whose members must pledge to sell authentic Native American art and represent it accurately. Only a very, very, very small Native American jewelry sellers have been accepted for membership.If you care whether the jewelry you buy is authentic Native American, please click on the View Seller\'s Other Items link in the box at the top of the page at right. Remember, choose wisely. Save for a while if necessary to buy the best pieces you can possibly afford. Don’t justspendmoney,investit in good quality items that have possible future investment potential.It\'s against federal law to misrepresent foreign made jewelry as Native American.Protect this investment and assure the Native American authenticity of your purchases by requiring a Certificate of Authenticity.

Authenticity and Provenance:This is abrand newrather than a previously owned item, and aCertificate of Authenticityguaranteeing its Native American origin is included.Everything but pawn sterling silver jewelry and stone necklaces are cleaned and polished with tarnish retardant polish before shipping so that it arrives looking sparkling clean and odor free.

U.S. Domestic Shipping:Same day FREE USPS Priority Mail shipping with 2-3 business day delivery, FREE USPS insurance, and FREE delivery or signature confirmation except weekends, holidays, buying trips, family emergencies, or severe weather from a non-smoker onreceipt of payment before 3 pm Central Timeon business days which considers as Monday - Friday. USPS Express Mail with overnight delivery to most but not all locations available at cost -- price varies by item shape, size, and weight of your purchase(s) -- please email for a quote.You also agree to pay within the prescribed period of time and, in the event the parcel is lost or damaged, YOU UNCONDITIONALLY AGREE to fulfill USPS requirements or those of the private insurance carrier so that an insurance claim be filed. For USPS claims this includes presenting the box, contents, and damaged item(s) to the Post Office and then sending me a signed USPS claim form. On receipt of the USPS claim form or letter, your entire payment will beimmediatelyrefunded in full.

International Shipping:I ship using either USPS International First Class Mail or Express Mail International. Please remember that PayPal REQUIRES trackable shipping for international shipments, and the least expensive USPS trackable shipping method is Express Mail. Cost usually depends on parcel weight and destination soplease request a price quote before purchase.A small handling fee will be charged for international orders.International buyers UNCONDITIONALLY AGREE to send the insurance company a letter describing the loss or damage when you asked to. If you purchase this item, then you have agreed to a legally binding contract that includes all necessary assistance in filing an insurance claim. On receipt of the USPS claim form or letter, your entire payment will beimmediatelyrefunded in full.

CURRENTLY EXCLUDED COUNTRIES:Sorry, I can NOT currently ship to the following countries because insurance is impossible to obtain except to US military or diplomatic corps with APO/FPO addresses: Abkhazia, Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola including Cabinda, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma/Myanmar, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chechnia, Congo, Cuba, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea - Bissau, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Papua/New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Osetia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen. Occasionally insurers add other countries. If I can’t obtain insurance, please understand that I reluctantly will have to cancel your order.

PayPal E-Checks:When you pay with a PayPal e-check, it takes several days for your check to be cleared so shipment will be delay until it‘s approved. If you want or need immediate shipment, then please use the credit or debit card option with PayPal.

Sales tax:Only Kansas residents must pay Kansas sales tax.

CORRECT Email Address:Your ISP’s or your email’s spam filter can and sometimes does prevent delivery of many emails. If you don’t hear from me, this is probably why so please don‘t think you’re being ignored because every purchase and payment is acknowledged. If you don’t hear from me,pleasecheck your spam/trash directory. Please make sure your current correct email address is registered with both and PayPal to ensure good communications.

©Photos and product description:Photos and description are the intellectual property of this seller, are copyrighted, and you maynotuse, download, or reproduce them under any circumstances for any reason. Plagiarism (copying and using my text and photos) is illegal -- please respect and obey the plagiarism laws. Thank you.

N999995T

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