Spoons West! Fred Harvey, the Navajo, and the Souvenir Spoons of the Southwest 1890-1941

In the 1890's, just as the West was finally settled, a souvenir spoon "craze" swept the American nation. The scenic wonders, industry, and imagery of the West - with its fierce natives, brave cowboys and lucky prospectors - were immortalized in silver. Famed host and entrepreneur Fred Harvey, Navajo silversmiths and even Charles Tiffany & Co. played important roles in the spoon phenomenon. The fad ran its course by WWII but, by then, thousands of intricate designs had been produced. Today, they remain prized by collectors. This delightful book recounts the history of the souvenir spoon craze in the West. It brings together for the very first time both commercially produced and native designs, and features scores of dazzling, full-color photos filled with unique and rare examples from premier collections.

I don't know what it is about this chandelier from Arhaus, but I love it! I guess because, for some odd reason, I tend to love flatware. I have old silver spoons that belonged to my grandmother, my husband has old spoons that belonged to his mother, I have some pearl-handled knives my mother no longer wanted, and when we visit antique markets I gravitate toward such things and recently bought a set of Apostle spoons from Portobello Market in London. Consequently I've decided that whenever we move from This Old House into something new, convenient, and modern (read: where I will have a closet of my own!), I want this in my new kitchen. Now I can't really justify the $600 (plus tax) Arhaus price, but I ask you, just how hard would this be to make? Surely an old iron chandelier could be easily had from some junk dealer, as well as old spoons and forks. A couple of holes drilled, some wire curled, and there you have it. Someone ought to try this and let me know. ;-)

I always keep my eye out for old silver plate flatware. I have a collection of mismatched forks, knives and spoons that I use for backyard parties. This is a fun and inexpensive item to buy at flea markets. Since I haven’t tried to match patterns and simple buy a fork or knife here or there, I have quite a collection now. Shopping must be in the air, because the thrift shops and antique stores are calling my name. I guess it’s time to hunt for more crystal coasters.