Posted 6 years ago
ho2cultcha
(5051 items)
I assume that this is Dine [Navajo], pre-1920. Mainly because the Dine used the swastika up until around then when it was adopted by the Nazi party. This one is a right-facing swastika which is what i think was used by the nazis as well. Also, i'm assuming Dine because they did a lot of silver pieces. Check out the other designs on this spoon too.
No, it isn't Navajo or Native American. But it was made as an imitation of a Navajo spoon, and probably with the hope buyers would think it was Navajo. Today they are often misrepresented as authentic Navajo spoons, and many people have bought them under that assumption. They absolutely are fakes, however. It was manufactured by the Warren Mansfield Company, of Portland, Maine, for the souvenir market.
The spoon is discussed and illustrated in the book "Navajo Spoons," by Cindra Kline, which she identifies as Mansfield's design #22629, and also as having been made in different sizes, and by other companies as well. "Spoons West!" by Nick T. Spark, also describes this particular spoon, which shows up frequently on line. Both books will confirm and give more details.
thanks for the info, however bad CanyonRd.