This is an original rare Pawnee silver and turquoise buckle by renowned Pawnee silversmith, Julius Caesar (Pawnee, 1910-1982). Julius Caesar was widely recognized as one of the leading silversmiths amongst the Southern Plains region. Father to Bruce Caesar, he first learned the craft from Hiram Jake, a Pawnee jeweler, and later studied with Bill Leaf, a Meskwaki metalsmith. He worked in both traditional and contemporary styles, he is renowned as America’s best-known German silver jewelers. Julius and Bruce are credited for the revival and continuation of Southern Plains metalwork. Julius Caesar's works can be found in the Gilcrease Museum, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and the Pierson Collection. This piece exhibits a silver (German silver, otherwise known as nickel silver) construction in a fantastic arrowhead pattern with roll engravings, three repoussé raised sections at the back and is set with three polished nuggets of North American Turquoise. The piece likely dates to circa 1970’s and is well preserved. The back is signed with Julius Caesar’s touchmark of a tipi with a crescent moon “C” at the center. Marked in sharpie on the back from a gallery / museum collection “03.01.84”, has a tag and original Sundog gallery tag marked Julius Caesar Marked $1200 Pawnee Julius Caesar (1910-1982). Provenance: From the renowned Sundog Fine Art Bozeman, Montana collection and collected by Bruce VanLandingham. Bruce VanLandingham was a pillar in the American Indian collecting community and a respected expert. Along with being an avid collector, Bruce also was the sole owner of Sundog Fine Art Gallery in Bozeman, which was both part museum and gallery. Good overall condition with expected wear from age. Measures overall 3.75” x 3.5”.

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