Fred Harvey Style Thin Silver Band with Repoussé [SOLD]

According to a small pamphlet on Native American designs, the creature stamped on either side of the repoussé domes is a snake, a symbol for wisdom, while the arrows are symbols for protection or to ward off evil spirits. These meanings were probably given to the tourists along with their purchase to validate the authenticity of their purchase. Whatever the meaning, the charming designs on this Fred Harvey Style Thin Silver Band with Repoussé are very typical of Fred Harvey jewelry.

Jewelry made by Native American artists, working for the Fred Harvey Company, to be sold to travelers at the Fred Harvey hotels, was different from the jewelry they made for themselves. The esthetic was geared more towards what was more attractive for the tourists. Thus, a unique style was created, and marketed and has endured to this day. The style consists of stamp motifs with arrows, diamonds, animals and distinct geometric designs, that today we identify as the “Fred Harvey Style.”

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: from the collection of a family from Santa Fe

Recommended Reading:  DREAM TRACKS—The Railroad and the American Indian 1890-1930 by T. C. McLuhan