Bold colorful rare Navajo twelve (12) pc turquoise and charoite decorated concho belt by noted Navajo silversmith Kirk Smith. The artist created six (6) large conchos (including buckle) and six (6) large butterflies both heavily decorated with what appears to be greenish/blue turquoise from the Fox Mine and purple/lavender charoite from the Charo River in Russia. The buckle and oval conchos each display a single oval cut and polished turquoise stone set into a smooth silver bezel mounted to a raised and repousse' stamped sunburst design. The buckle has repeating bird stamping around the sunburst and the conchos have repeating sunrise stamping. The artist continues by adding a satellite cluster around the outer rim of six (6) smaller oval cut and polished  turquoise stones and six (6) charoite stones that are set into saw tooth bezels along with sunrise stamping above each stone and a full moon between each stone. Each of the six (6) butterflies consist of a center turquoise stone set in a smooth bezel flanked on each side with large sunrise stamping along with three (3) repousse' teardrops above and below the center stone. He adds three (3) stones at top (two turquoise with charoite in center) and also three (3) at bottom (two charoite with turquoise in center). The artist continues decorating the butterflies with sunrise stamping across the top and bottom rims along with a combination of sunrise and crescent moon stamping running above and below the large sunrise stamping on each side of the butterfly. Both the conhos and butterflies have a black leather backing and both have two (2) copper belt slides attached to the back so as to stabilize them to stay straight while wearing the belt. All mounted to a thick black leather belt.

The full belt measures 1" wide by 46" long. It has previous holes punched in it starting at 27" up to 31" from previous owner. New holes can be set as needed. The buckle and each concho measures 2 3/4" tall by 3" across with the butterflies measuring 2 1/2" tall by 1 3/4" across. The complete concho belt weighs a hefty 547.5 grams (19.31 oz or 17.60 ozt) and is hallmarked in custom cursive lettering Kirk Smith - Sterling on an attached silver plate mounted to the back of the buckle. Beautiful high end, high quality collector's concho belt!  $4999.95

Kirk Smith was one of the best Navajo silversmiths in recent times. His work was always top quality and he used only the best stones and materials. Kirk Smith was killed by a drunk driver in an unfortunate tragedy on September 17, 2012. He was only 55 years old and in his prime, both as a jeweler and as an individual. Although he changed his style over the years, Kirk remained true to the traditional heavy silver work of the Navajo. At the time of his death, Kirk had surpassed his one-time mentor and brother-in-law, the late Harry Morgan, becoming one of  the best practitioner of classic revivalist Navajo design.