Vintage Southwest Sterling Silver Inlaid Ironwood and Abalone Belt Buckle

This belt buckle is hand made with sterling silver and inlaid with rich ironwood and abalone shell. Stamped Sterling and hallmarked by the Anglo artist, Eric Drake. This piece has not been cleaned. 65 grams total weight.

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, son of architects and artists Hulda and Blaine Drake, and growing up in Arizona amidst their architecture practice and artistic creations, I was also influenced by frequent visits to Taliesin West with my parents who had been apprentices of Frank Lloyd Wright. I studied under Roosevelt “Rip” Woods, a well-known Arizona artist, where I designed and serigraphed covers for my high school’s concert and awards banquet programs. While studying with Rip I began designing and making jewelry. In the late 1950’s while working in Scottsdale at Glass Arts Studio in the Lloyd Kiva Fifth Avenue Shops where I learned the art of leaded glass, I continued creating in silver. My designs were influenced by the Hopi silversmith, Charles Loloma, whose studio was next to Glass Arts. In the early 1970’s I opened Eric Drake Designs, a jewelry store and studio on the board walk at Pinnacle Peak Patio – a restaurant and shops in North Scottsdale. Lew Davis, a very good friend and accomplished Arizona artist, encouraged me to move my studio to Yares Art Gallery in Old Town, Scottsdale. Today my studio is in Tonto, Basin, Arizona where I design and work in silver with turquoise and semi-precious gems.”

Size: Buckle is 1 3/16" Tall, 2 7/8" Wide. Fits up to a 15/16" Wide Belt.