Description
Ahmad Khan 1" Hand Engraved sterling silver ranger belt buckle set. Solid sterling silver (tested) with weight and measurements in pictures.. Fits a 1" belt. No issues, some expected wear. Ranger belts are typically wider and taper down to 3/4" where the buckle and tip go on.
For young Ahmad, the sight of cowboys and outlaws in Western movies, mounted on horses with holsters, guns, and spurs, seemed like a dream world.
It seemed like a faraway, unreachable world, but he hoped one day to go to America, the land of the cowboys in the north.
At age 16, he was finally old enough to be apprenticed to a master silversmith.
He sought to prove his worth by demonstrating his artistic talent through the wood and ivory pieces he carved during breaks from his errand job.
At first, he was a little nervous about showing his talent, as he only carved wood and ivory pieces, but he apologized and explained to his masters that his income did not allow him to purchase the expensive gold and silver needed to carve his pieces. His
masters were impressed by his natural talent and fortitude, as he saved all of his paychecks and used them to purchase his own carving tools.
After four years of hard work and study under the master craftsmen, Ahmad earned himself a master‘s degree.
Under their tutelage, he learned the secrets and techniques of centuries-old silversmithing.
He mastered how to design, shape, and replicate gold and silver into artistic shapes with the same perfection as his masters.
His knowledge and gifted talent led him to pursue his dream of becoming a silversmith. Eventually, he left his home country and journeyed to cowboy country. He
left his family and traveled to the United States to become a silversmith for cowboys.
Upon arriving in America, he researched the great tradition and craftsmanship of the Bolin Shop in Hollywood, California.
He knew the shop was one of the finest and largest silversmith shops in the country, with a long list of famous people as clients.
Mr. Bolin was a Hollywood legend who literally blazed a trail for the artisan tradition.
He rode the country‘s last stagecoach with Buffalo Bill Cody.
Tom Mix, Gary Cooper, Clark Gable and Buck Jones were just a few of his Hollywood clients,
not to mention the voluptuous actress Mae West, who had him create her own silver telephone.
A former apprentice of renowned master silversmith Bud Phillips, Ahmad‘s work became popular among Hollywood celebrities between 1981 and 1987.
He created wearable art masterpieces for such celebrities as Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Gene Autry, Clayton "The Lone Ranger" Moore, Monty Montana, Burt Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, Larry Hagman, and President Reagan.
His client list included other famous actors, politicians, musicians, and cowboys.
Ahmad noted that President Reagan proudly wore his four-piece, three-tone, 5-A 18-karat gold and sterling silver buckle during his presidency.
It was a gift from country singer Lee Greenwood.
The president was so impressed with the buckle that he personally called to commend the designer and craftsman.
Texas Congressman Frank Tyhida also personally called Ahmad to praise his work, saying he is always praised for the craftsmanship and beauty of his custom silver buckles. "It makes me proud to
see celebrities wearing my creations," Ahmad jokes. "They have my initials on the back of the buckles, and they keep the pants of celebrities and powerful people in place."
His work first gained a Hollywood break when he was hired by the renowned Bud Phillips of Bolin to create a replica of the famous Tom Mix spurs for actor and stuntman Dean Smith. The
original spurs were handcrafted by Bolin himself, and upon his death in 1980, Bud Phillips sought out a talented silversmith to carry on the Bolin tradition.
Bud Phillips brought Ahmad into his department and fully trained him to create Western-inspired wearable art.
"I‘m always fascinated by watching the young masters at work," Bud Phillips declared, quietly watching Ahmad at his workbench.
Bud Phillips himself worked for Hollywood legend Gene Autry in the early 1930s, before working for Bolin for over 44 years.
He asserts that Ahmad is the only master silversmith capable of carrying on the Bolin tradition in the art of Western apparel.
Charles Sample, a fourth-generation gold and silversmith who is considered one of the creators of the Bolin legend, also expresses his admiration and respect for Ahmad‘s craftsmanship from his home in Santa Barbara.
Once, he asked Ahmad about the passion and sincerity he brings to his work, and his answer was simple:
"Celebrating the American cowboy... is the American dream I‘ve ever dreamed of."
Many of Ahmad‘s works are currently on display at the Gene Autry Museum, where Clayton Moore‘s spurs and holster buckles can also be seen.
The Gene Autry saddle is one of the most popular exhibits, showcasing Ahmad‘s impressive restoration skills.
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