b"By Jim and Bobbi Jeen Olson,WesternTradingPost.comF or dealers and collectors of vintage and HERE ARE SOME OF MY FINDINGS: REGARDING NATIVE AMERICANantique Native American Indian jewelry,Pre-WWII Era: Very few championship belt bucklesINDIAN BUCKLES:accurately dating a piece remains challenging.were awarded before WWII. Those few bucklesEarly Designs: Initial designs featured a bar with Though there are various markers, like design,primarily had a solid bar on the back. Westerna tongue across an open center for the belt to loop materials, wear, patina, and hallmarks, to consider,buckles gained momentum in the 1930s and 40s,around. This style was consistent with early Native these can often be misleading. Older designs arein line with the introduction of belt loops in jeanssilver work, evident in popular concho belts and frequently replicated, and wear and patina can beduring the early '20s. Before this era, suspendershorse bridles.artificially induced. were the norm.1930s Transition: Reflecting the growing popularity A persistent query regarding belt buckles is, WhenPost-WWII to 1960s: Trophy buckles startedof Western-style buckles, Native-made buckles for did the swivel bar (hinge) on the back of belt bucklesbecoming a popular prize at equine events duringWestern-style leather belts began emerging around become popular? as opposed to a solid bar for beltthe late 1940s. By the 1960s, they were fairlythe 1930s. This period saw the shift of the bar to the attachment. The question, though seemingly specific,ubiquitous. Initial swivel bar designs varied amongback-left side of the buckle.can be crucial in estimating the age of a buckle.makers and were hand-made. Commercially produced swivel bars, however, weren't prevalent. Commercial Swivel Bars: These became more Despite the widespread discussions, especially oncommon in Native-made buckles in the 1970s, platforms like Facebook, conclusive answers 1960s to 1970s: Custom or shop-made swivel barsmirroring the broader trend. The increased demand remain elusive. gained traction during the 1960s. Nevertheless, thefor turquoise jewelry during the early 1970s further commercial swivel bars we recognize today werestreamlined this transition.In my capacity as a long-time collector of Westernnot identified in verifiable buckles from the early memorabilia and the owner of a Trading Post, I've1960s. It wasn't until the late 1960s that these startedIn conclusion, a Native-made buckle with a swivel had the privilege of handling numerous buckles.appearing sporadically. The early 1970s saw anbar likely hails from the early 1970s or later. While While I had an instinctive response to the question,increase in buckle production, with the commercialearlier iterations might exist, they are rare. That I sought concrete evidence to back my claims. Givenswivel bar gaining mainstream acceptance said, a solid bar doesn't necessarily indicate an older the often subjective nature of dating Native jewelry, Itowards the mid-70s. buckle, as some contemporary artisans decided to explore the easily dateable Western-style,still employ this classic design. trophy, or championship belt buckles. The rationaleThus, always approach buckle is that trends in Native-made buckles likely mirroreddating with caution, taking into these Western counterparts. account multiple factors I hope this has helped to answer some of the questions concerning vintage and antique belt buckles.Clockwise from left: 1930's - 1940's sterling cowboy trophy buckle, Keyston Bros. of San Francisco, California; Vintage (somewhere between 1930s-1970s) turquoise and sterling silver belt buckle, Hallmarked NS; Vintage (somewhere between 1930s-1970s) sterling silver concho belt.32 October 2023"