1970s Georges Mailian Clasping Hands Belt

There are numerous variations of this striking clasped hands design and there's no definitive answer as to who started it. But after many years of obsessive research, I am now convinced that this particular unsigned model is indeed by Georges Mailian himself (assuming he was an actual person, which we also don't know!)

Though most Mailian pieces are marked, I have encountered a few that were not. I've also seen several examples of this exact buckle on a belt signed Georges Mailian, though sometimes only as a sticker. It's always the same roundish design, no rings on the fingers, and the underside of the fingers is detailed. The buckle is a solid bronze or brass (sorry, I can't tell which), unlike others which are lighter weight alloys. I love every iteration of clasping hands buckles but this one is definitely amongst the heftiest I've come across.

The buckle is in excellent vintage condition. That is to say that it looks as old as it is but is still sturdy and highly wearable. There are no signs of weakness or corrosion.

The belt itself is a plain black leather, in decent condition, with holes allowing for a total length (with buckle) of 29 in to 33 in. Extra holes could be made to add up to two more inches or to make the belt smaller. Of course the buckle can also be put on any belt of your choosing. The belt is 1 5/8 inches wide.

Each hand measures about 5 1/8 in × 2 1/4 in.