Salt Spoon .. Can't identify hallmark

Navajo, Zuni & Hopi
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shdelady
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2011 9:15 pm

Salt Spoon .. Can't identify hallmark

Post by shdelady »

Hi all,

I purchased an unusual salt spoon (see picture). I can't find out what the hallmarks are. Stearling is stamped on the back along with two other marks. Help me in idenifying these marks.

http://www.shdelady.com/hallmark/saltspoon.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.shdelady.com/hallmark/saltspoon_hallmark.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks
Judi
aka shdelady
2209patrick
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Re: Salt Spoon .. Can't identify hallmark

Post by 2209patrick »

Hi Judi.

Your middle mark is the shop mark of The White Hogan in Scottsdale Arizona.
They were active from the late 1930's to 2006.

Believe the KB mark is that of Kenneth Begay.

Image

Pat.
shdelady
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2011 9:15 pm

Re: Salt Spoon .. Can't identify hallmark

Post by shdelady »

Thank you Pat, that helped alot. I now have more information to give my daughter.
My next question, is this a salt-spoon? or was it used for something else? It has little holes on the bottom, and I've never seen a salt spoon like that.
Thanks again

Judi
2209patrick
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Re: Salt Spoon .. Can't identify hallmark

Post by 2209patrick »

You're welcome Judi.

How long is the spoon?
I was thinking medicine spoon until you mentioned the holes.

Image

Pat.
dragonflywink
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Re: Salt Spoon .. Can't identify hallmark

Post by dragonflywink »

It's a little shaker-type salt spoon, they're usually right around 2-1/4" long - nice little mid 20th century Modernist pieces, not particularly uncommon (White Hogan made them in a few other designs - and similar shaker salt spoons were made by several American silver manufacturers from at least the early 20th century. Feel pretty sure that Kenneth Begay designed this one, since I've run across some of his with a "Patent Pending" mark; but there were a good number made by his cousins, George and Allen Kee, who were also silversmiths at the White Hogan shop along with their brother Ivan (my Mom has had one of the George Kee spoons in her collection for years). If you look up Anthony Kee's site, it shows a lot of the Modernist designs, as well as more typical Navajo silver made by the White Hogan silversmiths.

~Cheryl
dragonflywink
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Re: Salt Spoon .. Can't identify hallmark

Post by dragonflywink »

Hehe - was just looking through some of my old pics and realized that the White Hogan image Pat showed is actually Mom's George Kee salt spoon (no wonder it looked familiar).

~Cheryl
2209patrick
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Re: Salt Spoon .. Can't identify hallmark

Post by 2209patrick »

Hi Cheryl.

Anytime I see a new mark or a better picture of one on the forum I save it.
One of these days I have to thin out my saved pictures files.
Another one of my New Years resolutions.

Pat.
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Re: Salt Spoon .. Can't identify hallmark

Post by dragonflywink »

Good luck with that one, Pat! I have so darned many images and files stashed away, that even with a reasonably organized system, it's still a wonder I ever find anything I'm looking for.....

Posting the pics of Mom's spoon, shows the holes, in case anyone ends up searching for similar:

Image

Image

~Cheryl
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