One of the fun things about contemporary silversmithing is looking at similar pieces made by different artists and comparing what they did and how they did it. And if the two artists being compared are two of the all-time greats, it's even more fun! Recently, we acquired two pieces that are incredibly similar in scale, materials and form, and thought it would be interesting and instructive to compare and contrast them. So, without further ado....
Here are two silver and coral belt buckles. The one on the left was made and hallmarked by Lee Yazzie, while the one on the right was made and hallmarked by Julian Lovato. As you can see, they are nearly the same size, and the coral cabochons are nearly the same size as well. But they are quite different in construction and execution. Let's look at each one to see how they differ.
The Lovato buckle is 3 3/16" wide and 1 7/8" high and weighs 108 grams--a nice heavy weight for a buckle. It is made in overlay style, with a cutout silver plate soldered to a larger silver plate beneath. What gives it its nice weight is the two high-gauge silver plates used in the construction. The bezel is Lovato's typically architectural fluted bezel, which can be seen in the bottom photo.
Yazzie's buckle is 3 1/4" x 2" and weighs 54 grams--it is easy to see how the single silver plate construction of this buckle would be half the weight of Lovato's. Instead of the geometric overlay that Lovato used, Yazzie used texturing on one half of the buckle to create a very visually pleasing and interesting piece. Yazzie's bezel is also scored, as can be seen in the bottom photo, but not nearly to the extent of Lovato's. Yazzie's buckle is also quite a bit more domed that Lovato's, which is essentially flat.
We have talked about the difference in the two, but in many ways, they are incredibly similar. The coral cabs are about the same size and quality, and both used commercial belt holders and handmade tongues. Lovato stamped his STERLING, as was his style, while Yazzie did not, though it is clearly sterling.
Which buckle is better? That is impossible to say and depends entirely on the tastes of the viewer. Both are extraordinary examples of Southwest Indian silverwork, exemplary in design, execution and materials. Both are currently available from Turkey Mountain Traders--call us at (480) 423-8777 or email us at info@turkey-mountain.com for more information on either one.
