MCD Belt Buckle Ajax Turquoise & Sterling Silver Tufa Cast Classic Navajo

Description

Beautifully crafted tufa cast belt buckle.  The silver work has a rich dark patina and I have not tried to polish it.  To my
knowledge the turquoise comes
from the Ajax Mine.  It is characterized by dark green with light blue areas which is
considered quite unusual and is highly desirable.  The buckle is stamped  "Sterling" and "MCD".  The carrier will accept
a belt up to 1 3/8".
Sand cast items are Indian Hand Made items using a procedure developed by the Navajo silversmiths
in the mid 1800s. It is a labor-intensive process that involves many steps.  Using tuff stone, a porous rock from volcanic, ash,
tufa stone, a porous limestone that forms near hot springs, or sandstone, a harder stone, the artist carves the design of the
item being cast. Another flat stone is placed against the carved half of the mold. The halves are fastened together and a
sprue hole is carved into one end. Molten silver is poured into the mold using the sprue hole. Once the silver cools, the
item is taken out and finished.Bracelets are poured flat and then shaped. Due to the porous nature of Tuff or Sand Stone,
sandcast items will have character marks and imperfections such as small pits.That is the nature of Sand Casting and Indian
Hand Made. On average, no  more than five or six casts may be made before the tufa block wears out.
Measures 3 1/4" wide x 2 1/8" tall
Center stone measures 20 mm x 12mm
Smaller stones measure 5 mm round
Total Weight = 68.0388 grams
Questions??? Please ask before purchasing to avoid any misunderstandings.
You can see more jewelry in my "store".
Metal man not included.  Display only.