Southwest Barber Half Dollar & Stampwork Concho Belt

Lot description

Southwest concho belt, unmarked, (one) buckle having stamp work border, with central 1906 Barber Half Dollar, and (seventeen) Barber Half Dollar coin conchos, visible dates ranging from 1898-1913, with some repeats, on a worn black leather belt, buckle: approx 1.75"diam, coin conchos: approx 1 1/8" diam, belt: approx 36" (to first hole), approx 38" (to last hole), 286.5 grams (inclusive of all materials) Provenance: From the estate of Dorothy Jean McPhaul, whose small East Austin antique shop, Johnnie’s Antiques, has survived for generations despite rapid city expansion. McPhaul, a true lover of all things antique and a retired educator with a 40-year tenure at the LaGrange Public School system, personally collected African American memorabilia, jewelry, glassware, pottery, amongst other rare and fine antiques. Established by McPhaul’s grandfather, Simon Sidle, in 1918, Johnnie’s Antiques is among the last vintage properties on East 6th Street, and notable as one of the first black-owned businesses in Austin. After assuming proprietorship in 1999, Dorothy followed in the family tradition as a fixture of the Texas antique sale circuit.