MOUNT HOOD
Mount Hood is a large ( 11249 foot) snow covered volcano in Northern Oregon about 50 miles northeast of Portland..
This large mountain is home to 12 glaciers and is still potentially active so an explosion would also create a massive water runoff.
The mountain was named after British Admiral, Samuel Hood by Lt. William Broughton, a member of Captain George Vancouver's discovery expedition.
left column:
1. Full size figural webfoot handle (Mechanics div of Watson)
2. Full size figural webfoot handle (Mechanics div of Watson)
(more details below)
3. demi size figural webfoot with gold washed bowl
4. indian and corn handle with gold plated bowl (mechanics)
5. goldenrod handle with gold plated bowl
6. demi with gold plated bowl (Towle)
right column
1. Oregon state handle (Shepard) with gold plated bowl
2. Salmon handle
3. shell handle (Watson) ca. 1893
4. pattern handle (Wallace)
5. "OREGON" in interlocking letters down handle (A. Feldenheimer , Portland jeweler with own spoon design ca. 1892-3 -probably manufactured by Durgin)
MOUNT BAKER
Mount Baker is a large (10,781 foot) major active volcano due east of the city of Bellingham, Washington. (near the Canadian/ US border).
Mount Baker is the most heavily glaciated of the Cascade range of volcanoes and contains more glacial ice than all the other volcanoes combined. It is also one of the snowiest places on earth.
It was named Mount Baker by George Vancouver in honor of 3rd Lieutenant Joseph Baker of HMS Discovery.
1. totem pole handle and engraved Anacortes in bowl (see totem pole exhibit)
2. demi salmon handle with gold plated bowl and gold head, fins, and tail on the salmon (front and back)
3. rhodendrum flower handle and engraved "Pt. Townsend" (Port Townsend) in bowl (Rhodendrum mark)
MOUNT RAINIER
You will notice that some of these spoons are engraved Mt. Rainier and some of them are engraved Mt. Tacoma. What's in a name? Apparently this was a major battle between
the City of Tacoma and the City of Seattle which lasted 56 years and reached the attention of two Presidents and Congress. Tacoma wanted the mountain named Mt. Tacoma and claimed that it was
a variation of the original indian word for the mountain, but the primary reason was money and the campaign was financed by the Northern Pacific Railroad Co. who expected a steady stream of visitors.
Seattle claimed that the name Rainier was in long use and that there was no reason to change it. Three times the matter was considered by the U.S. Board of Geographic Names and all three times
the board decided to keep it Mt. Rainier. The mountain was named by George Vancouver after his friend Rear Admiral Peter Rainier.
Mt Rainier is the highest volcano (14,411 ft ) in the Cascade mountain range and on a clear day it dominates the southeast view from the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area. Mt. Rainier is home to 26
major glaciers and actually has two volcanic craters. Currently Mr. Rainier is classified as an active volcano, but there is no imminent liklihood of an explosion.
left column:
1. Full figural weatherforcaster 'fine' (click for more info)
2. Chief Seattle bust on totem pole handle and gold washed bowl
3. small pattern tea spoon with gold washed bowl
4. flower handled spoon
5. demi indian handled spoon
6. old Tacoma church handle and embossed bowl
right column:
1. Old Tacoma Bell Tower handle. Bowl has received special treatment to make it black
2. totem pole handle
3. owl handle with gold plated bowl
A beautiful engraved Mt. Rainier with a gold nugget soldered at the top
MOUNT SHASTA
Mt. Shasta is a huge (14,179 foot) volcano in Northern California and in the southern Cascade mountain range. It has 7 named glaciers. There are no major cities near this mountain so
there are very few spoons which depict it. California handle with embossed picture in the bowl
Both of these webfoot handles are the same since they were produced by a 'die'
However, I wanted you to see how the hand engraved pictures are slightly different since they were produced by different engraving artists.
At this time the market does not consider the skill of the engraver to be significant, but from an aesthetic view, I definitely appreciate the better quality engraving on the bottom.
Visit the Mountain spoon exhibit
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