Hopi Silver Overlaid Bear Claw Belt Buckle.

This buckle is a true work of art. This incredible belt buckle was hand made from start to finish. This Hopi made buckle features a traditional Native American Bear Claw and Heartline Bear overlay design. This image was hand cut with perfect precision out of nickel Silver for a high shine that won't tarnish. The bottom layer is textured by hand with stamping and and oxidized before the hand cut design layer is overlaid on top. Silver on Silver, you can't go wrong with that. Signed by the artist. This impressive buckle is 3" wide by 2" tall with a 1-1/2" wide keeper on the back.

Overlay is created by "sweating" or soldering two pieces of silver together. The top piece contains a design element which is meticulously hand cut out of silver. The bottom piece is oxidized and often textured with stamping to produce a contrasting background. Once together the work is carefully filed, buffed, and polished to produce this fine finish.

The Bear is a potent source of strength for many Native Americans. Admired for their strength, independence, and self reliance, the Spirit of the Bear was often invoked before entering battle. Warriors sometimes painted their faces with marks resembling bear claw scratches and carried double-edged knives with handles carved from the jawbones of bears as good luck charms. It was believed that bear power could also cure illness. Shamans or medicine men from many different groups frequently dressed as bears when working to heal the sick. Just as honoring the bear spirit could bring blessings to people, provoking the spirit might bring them harm. For that reason, some tribes, most notably the Apache, forbade their hunters to kill a bear, or even to touch the carcass of one found dead in the woods.

We understand the true value and nature of hand crafted Indian art. And, we recognize it’s important to know that the artist is truly a member of a Native American tribe. So, to ensure you that this is the real deal, a Certificate of Authenticity has been included with this item.

CERTIFIED AUTHENTIC