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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;2manybooks, post: 9591681, member: 8267&quot;]There may be no way to tell, but I am curious if you folks can help determine if this item might be Native American, or a &quot;Boys&#039; Life&quot; project. I can find several depictions of a horse tail dancer, (as well as contemporary videos), but I have not been able to find an example of an actual belt in museum collections to compare it with. I have no illusion that it is 19th century, based on the materials used, but perhaps first half of the 20th century. The 2 1/2&quot; steel Dexter bells might be a datable component. </p><p><br /></p><p>It is made on a heavy, commercially tanned leather belt that has been modified at the buckle ends (cut down). There is a faint stamp on the back, partially obscured by a rivet, that says &quot;L...OAK&quot;. Presumably some company&#039;s oak bark tanning. The most used belt holes indicate someone with about a 28&quot; waist - could be a boy, or a smaller adult. Current videos show boys in the dance group. The tail is nailed onto a rough cut piece of wood which holds the tail out when the belt it worn. The wood is painted black, and mounted to the belt using a can lid and wire. (Can lids are a fairly common adapted tool/fitting in Native American made objects.)</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is the belt -</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]464300[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]464301[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]464302[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]464303[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]464308[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]464305[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]464306[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]464307[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Here is a 1954 page from Boys&#039; Life, showing how to construct a similar belt -</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]464309[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]464310[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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