As I've noted before, Hopi jewelry is just hard to get my hands on. I'm told their jewelry products are in great demand by the Japanese. I've also been told they do not distribute to wholesalers in the winter. Instead they strictly deal in retail. I'm planning a trip to Hopi to find out for myself. I had a great opportunity to acquire two elegant, buffed sterling Hopi belt buckles this weekend in my pursuit of trout inlaid jewelry. These two pieces alone justified the 120 miles round trip to Zuni and back to Gallup. Note the mudhead and kachina. Both buckles are quite large. The octagonal buckle measures 3 x 3 3/4 inches and weighs in at 3.4 ounces. It is signed with the hallmark "B ¢ t" for Becenti. I was unable to learn the artists first name.Addendum 1/18/08: A journal reader notified me today that this buckle is not Hopi, instead it is Navajo piece by silversmith Floyd Becenti. I verified the information, thus this correction addendum. Nonetheless, the title is still appropriate and I plan a trip to Keams Canyon, Arizona tomorrow to see what I can about acquiring some genuine Hopi silver jewelry.
