Navajo Concho Belt with Coral By Orville Tsinnie

Late 20th/Early 21st Century

44.5" L x 2.25" W  Conchos are  3.25" L x 2.5" W  Buckle is  3.5" L x 2.75" W

Hand Crafted from Bark Brown Leather Belt with 8 Sterling Silver Conchos with Red Coral in the Centers and a Matching Buckle Stamped with Signature

In Very Good Condition

Orville Tsinnie was a renowned Navajo silversmith known for his exceptional craftsmanship in creating Native American jewelry, including concho belts.
Orville Tsinnie, active since the 1970s until his passing in 2017, was celebrated for his meticulous attention to detail, hand-picking and polishing high-quality stones, and creating intricate silver designs. His concho belts are highly valued, with one notable example featuring 10 hand-repousséd sterling silver conchos and a large matching buckle, each adorned with sunburst patterns, bordering sun stampings, and a central diamond pattern.

Navajo concho belts, as a traditional art form, often incorporate semi-precious stones like turquoise or coral, set into intricate silver designs. Coral, while less common than turquoise, is a valued material in Navajo jewelry, often used for its vibrant color and cultural significance. Concho belts typically consist of silver disks (conchos) strung on a leather strap, with designs that may include repoussé work, stamping, or stone settings, as seen in Tsinnie’s work.