Buckle and Keep of Ingot Sterling, 78 Flush Bezel Set Natural Turquoise Stones
Virgil Dishta, Sr.
- Savvy Price $685.00
- Gallery Price $875.00
- Title
- Buckle and Keep of Ingot Sterling, 78 Flush Bezel Set Natural Turquoise Stones
- Artist
- Virgil Dishta, Sr.
- Medium
- Sterling silver and natural Blue Gem turquoise
- Troy ounces
- .74 troy ounces
- Size
- Buckle 1 5/8" height X 1 13/16" width. Keep 3/4" height X 7/16" width.
- Signed
- "V Dishta Sr" stamped on back of buckle
- Date of creation
- early 1970's
- Condition
- Excellent
- Turquoise
- Natural Blue Gem turquoise
- Description
- Will take a 3/4" wide leather belt or a belt tapering to 3/4" width, such as "ranger" style.
- Provenance
- A Jo
- Gram weight
- 22.5 grams
- About The Buckle and Keep of Ingot Sterling, 78 Flush Bezel Set Natural Turquoise Stones
Fabricated on ingot silver, set with 78 hand-cut Blue Gem mine natural turquoise stones, this elegant buckle and keep are the work of Virgil Dishta Sr. (His maker's mark as SR on the back, a signature Virgil began using in the early 70's, when his son, Virgil Jr. began working with him)
Virgil Sr. worked with his father, Frank Dishta, his teacher. Together they provided this unique style of jewelry for customers of the C.G. Wallace Trading Post through the 1930's and 40's. Learning to make his own sheet and drawn wire from ingot sterling (before commercial sheet and wire were permitted in "Indian hand-made jewelry"), Virgil Sr. continued to work with ingot silver his entire life.
Looking carefully at the two flowers nodding toward each other, one can see each bezel as an individual, but they have been solder joined to create the specific design elements. Fine wire is used to separate and, as a rope twist, to frame buckle and keep. Three (3) silver drops were added to the buckle and a round layered sheet terminal ornament decorates the space above where the tongue bar is attached.
- About Virgil Dishta, Sr.
- (Born circa 1921- deceased, Zuni) Son of Pauline and Frank Dishta, Virgil Dishta, Sr. was taught to make jewelry by his parents. He was active making jewelry between late 1930's and 2000. Best known for channel inlay as well as small "inlay circle" jewelry, he produced squash blossom necklaces and ranger sets. Virgil Dishta, Sr. was also a painter. Gregory Schaaf's book references this artist and illustrates one of the artist's inlay cuffs, as does Bille Hougart's publication Native American and Southwestern Silver Hallmarks.
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