Antique Navajo Indian Ingot Silver Turquoise Spoon Early Good Weight Fred Harvey

Description

From a Green Valley, Arizona collector's estate:
Excellent quality very early Navajo silver spoon with turquoise stone.
Measures a little under 6 inches long.
Very good condition. Great patina.
Navajo silversmiths began to make spoons in the 1880’s responding to the Victorian era fashion of collecting souvenir silver spoons. As tourists began arriving in the Southwest by the new transcontinental railroad and by automobile, spoons were the perfect souvenir, easy to take home as a reminder of what was then a very adventurous vacation trip.
Early spoons were made of ingot silver. Since they could not buy commercially made sheet silver, the silversmith had to melt down silver coins or flatware that came their way and then pound out the silver into the form needed for the spoon or jewelry they wanted to make.
Most likely this piece dates between 1900 and 1910, although it could be earlier.
The stamp work is deep set and made with the early stamping tools of the period.
This spoon weighs in at a hefty 22 grams. It has the "heft" and feel of ingot silver although there are no annealing marks (the "folds" that result from hammering out the ingot). The stone is gem quality natural turquoise.
If you collect Navajo spoons or if you're looking for one fine example for a Native American art collection this could be the one you're looking for.
Please examine all of the photos carefully and ask any questions before bidding.
Shipping to U.S. (48 states only) is .95.
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