Pins, Boxes, Spoons and More

At the very beginning of the 20th century Fred Harvey (hotelier, restaurateur, tour guide etc.) encouraged Native jewelers to expand their styles and forms of jewelry to meet the demand of the tourist who were arriving by the hundreds on the train. Many of these items were likely foreign to the Native jewelers, such as ashtrays, napkins rings, tie clasps, shot glasses, salt and pepper shakers, silverware, and pillboxes but they had no problem putting their own creative touches on what was otherwise western forms. Before the railroads and the Fred Harvey curio shops there was a strong tradition of buttons & manta pins which many argue are the very earliest forms of silver work.