Antique Vintage Sterling 925 Silver Native Navajo Turquoise Hand Stamped Spoon

Description

This fork is part of a set with a matching fork, which we also have for sale this week. To view in separate listings, please visit our store and search "Navajo" or "Turquoise" under our Buy-It-Now items.
Item Description by: Cait P.
The Piece
Age Circa:
Native Navajo C. 1950
Markings:
"Sterling S" on the back of the handle, Tested, and Guaranteed
Country of Origin:
United States - Navajo Nation
Brand:
Unknown
Gram Weight:
16.7 Grams
Metal Type:
.925 Sterling Silver
Material:
--
Main Stone:
Turquoise
Main Stone Measurements/Color:
5.6 mm diameter, Opaque blue hue
Accent Stone:
--
Accent Stone Measurements/Color:
--
Stone Treatment:
The stone(s) appear to be untreated, but we are not certified gemologists. Stone(s) have been tested and guaranteed using a professional Presidium Duo refractive, heat, and hardness tester.
Stone Cuts:
Carved and Polished Cabochon
Item Measurements:
The spoon measures 4.05" long and 1.0" wide.
Collectible Type:
Fork
Men's or Women's:
Unisex
Notable Features:
Handmade in the 1950s by a talented Navajo artisan
The handle of the spoon features a turquoise stone in a sawtooth bezel and hand stamped patterns
Damage:
Age appropriate wear. Tarnish on the sterling silver gives this piece an antique quality which we believe is quite lovely.
*This listing is for the item only. All display boxes and/or photography props do not come with your purchase.*
The History
This beautiful piece was made by a very talented Native American silversmith. It features handcrafted silversmith work throughout. Antique Native American jewelry is very rare to find. This is due to these pieces being made for reservation and personal use before the tourist trade became popular. Very few pieces were made and even less survived to today.
The concept of Pawn, Old Pawn, and Dead Pawn Native American Jewelry came to be in the 1800s. During this time, trading posts had become commonplace for Native Americans to go and exchange food, tools, and other materials with Colonists. Essentially, banks would loan the shop owners money which was then invested into loans for Native Americans in exchange for their jewelry. When a loan wasn’t repaid, the item became known as either “Old Pawn” or “Dead Pawn.”
The Navajo Nation sits on 27,000 square miles within the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. The Navajo have a rich history and culture and have become known for creating some of the finest sterling silver and turquoise jewelry, incorporating their own traditional motifs with silversmithing. The squash blossom necklace is perhaps one the most famous Navajo styles produced, along with turquoise inlay rings. Turquoise is an important stone in Navajo culture; symbolizing happiness, good fortune, and good health.
The first Navajo silversmith, Atsidi Sani, was taught around 1865 by a Mexican silversmith. Atsidi Sani, in turn, taught his four sons, who then started teaching other Navajo artisans. In the beginning, Navajo artisans created sterling silver jewelry for themselves and others in the Navajo Nation. After 1900, with the tourist trade started booming in the Southwest, and Navajo artisans started commercially producing silver and turquoise jewelry and selling it through the various trading posts.
Navajo silversmiths, working from 1870 to 1900, learned about stamping from Mexican leather workers, and adopted this to their metal working. Artisans made their own stamps that were passed down to each generation. Stampings are usually hand hammered using handcrafted or die stamps and include traditional Native American symbols, such as sunbursts, to ornate landscapes. This technique has been passed on and utilized by other Native American tribes and continues to be a popular method of jewelry making.
Turquoise is found all over the world and has been a popular semi-precious stone used in jewelry and art for thousands of years by many different cultures; from prehistoric times to the present. Turquoise comes in many beautiful color variations; from the popular bright solid sky-blue hues to dark blue hues with dark spiderwebbing throughout, as well as aqua, teal, and many green varieties, and even some rare white with dark spiderwebbing.
Domestic US
: All items ship within one business day
of receiving payment. Buyers will have 3 base shipping options to choose from, depending on the needed speed of delivery. Pricing on single and multi-purchase transactions can be seen below:
Auction Items:
Base shipping + .00 per additional gold item & BIN items combine for free
BIN Items:
FREE
Base Shipping:
USPS
First Class
: .00 fully insured, estimated 3-5 business days
USPS
Priority Mail
: .00 fully insured, estimated 2-3 business days
USPS
Priority Express
: .00 fully insured, overnight delivery
International
: All packages are sent via USPS and pricing is based on buyer location. Each customer will receive a revised invoice at the close of the auction with an updated shipping rate. We will combine shipping on multiple purchases for free.
We do not undervalue packages for customs, please do not ask us
to do so. What you pay is what we will claim on your customs form.
Please take this into consideration before placing your bid.
PayPal only. After 4 days of non-payment, an automated unpaid item case will be opened by our eBay system. If you need extra time for payment, please contact us prior to bidding.