IMPORTANT VINTAGE NAVAJO RAY ADAKAI ETCHED STERLING NATIVE AMERICAN Buckle For Sale

This is an exceptional vintage Navajo Native American jewelry Native American jewelry very important ranger buckle set handmade by one of the most famous artists of our time, Ray Adakai. Ray is very respected and his pieces are always top notch. This is one of his more rare vintage pieces. The buckle set consists of amazing hand filed silver works with very thick sterling silver. The buckle measures around 2" X 1-3/4" and this buckle set will fit a belt width of about 1"¼ or less. Sterling silver, marked. Signed by Navajo Native American jewelry Native American jewelry artist, Ray Adakai. Cir. 1970's+. Sturdy 44.2 grams. The Adakai family has crafted traditional silver jewelry for over 30 years; they  are from the Navajo Nation located in Arizona and New Mexico. A bit of the family history: their mother grew up on the Navajo Nation and still lives there. She is truly a matriarch of their family instilling culture and language in their lives and was also a self taught silversmith before she was married to their father, Jack Adakai. He was a renowned  silversmith in the later half of his life -  he took up his craft after fighting in the European-African Campaign during WWII.

There are some inaccurate information shown on southwestern jewelry stores about Jack Adakai - who was Navajo - included with his silver work. He was born in the 1920s and lived until the mid 1980s. He was a WW2  Veteran, a U.S. Army Combat Soldier.  Jack Adakai was truly a survivor and a patriot for his country-he fought in some of the most grueling battles throughout Normandy, the Rhineland and the Ardennes and the Battle of the Bulge.

When he returned home from the Army he worked the rails roads, drove trucks and also began refining his silversmithing skills. He became well known for his old school traditional style silver and heavy gauge jewelry.

Jack Adakai  was able to pass on his silversmithing skills to his son Ray Adakai.  Ray’s traditional Navajo Jewelry reflects designs echoing from the old school  Navajo silversmithing.  All silver work created by Ray Adakai is made of .925 Sterling Silver and some accented with a variety of turquoise stones.