Two spoons, coin silver, only mark is 0900

I have two spoons, fairly ornate handles. 0900 with a rounded top and bottom are the only marks. Seem to be some hammering marks on the bottom of the spoons, mark side. Any guesses? Thanks.

 

Just a guess, based on the look and design. Mexico, Central or South America. That covers alot of territory, I know.

 

I'd check Peru first.

 

im not entirely sure on their origin, but south american souvenir spoons are usually more in the stile of their own famous native cultures like mayan or incan, these seem to me like they feature european decorations. the top one have the 3 crowns from the swedish national coat of arms, i dont know why there is a sun above them tho. the bottom one looks like it has a two headed crowned eagle, like the russian and austro-hungarian coat of arms. the 0900 mark is typical for south american, but the motifs seem completely european to me.

 

First one looks like Swedish motif, second Russian

 

Well, see...the folks at the UN got together, and...

 

I vote South American. Here is a Bogota, Columbia souvenir spoon very very similar to the one on our right with the spread wing eagle. It is only marked with "0900."
https://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/pr...terling_silver_/vintage/collectibles/souvenir

--- Susan

 

Found several more Columbia, South America spoons with only 0900 mark. Here's a query about 0900 silver mark on Columbia silver on the 925-1000 silver forum.
http://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000805.html

and according to the following query, Brazil and Peru use 0900.
http://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum19/HTML/000352.html

--- Susan

 

BTW, the other spoon appears to have suns in the design. 1/2 suns with rays are forming a face with a bigger sun on the forehead, smaller suns are the eyes and mouth. It probably represents the Aztec sun god.

--- Susan

 

They're almost certainly Colombian, Rainwater's 'Spoons Around the World' shows two with similar stems and shield design, with 'Colombia' and 'Bogota' also on the spoons. While one spoon does appear to show a coat of arms similar to Bogota's, the other looks more like Lima's coat of arms - have seen sets of matching South American souvenir spoons with six different countries, so suppose a set of different countries' capital cities might be a possibility too...

Here's a set of spoons with similar stems and a typical Incan deity at the top: https://www.etsy.com/listing/119499521/900-fine-silver-columbian-inca-tribal?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=inca design&ref=sr_gallery_26

Interestingly, the seller of the first Bogota spoon Susan linked, for some reason, seems to think that the Maori are Colombian: https://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/pr...ian_Maori_Man_Collector/Collectibles/Souvenir

~Cheryl

 

Y'all sure have a lot of knowledge about silver spoons. Thanks very much for all your time. I refine silver and purchased these as scrap. I couldn't believe it when I got them and they looked so nice. Any way to indicate the value? I'm not a collector of these and will likely just pass them along.

 

Interesting.... Just plain strange! If I had noticed that spoon, I probably wouldn't have used them as a resource. Hmmmmm..... now here is more of that Maori strangeness. According to the following site, Maori stone implements have been found in Peru, Argentine, Columbia, etc... South America. Boy, that must have been some canoe to have made it from New Zealand of today to Peru.
https://books.google.com/books?id=GBMSAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA44&lpg=PA44&dq=maori+of+columbia,+south+america&source=bl&ots=XShCsT8e7A&sig=3nHQb78Ag6PEx3RueYPc0GMoDKI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyl_mDrqfKAhXKRSYKHc5jBnAQ6AEIIjAD#v=onepage&q=maori of columbia, south america&f=false

If memory serves, think I have heard the theory that the huge stone heads on Easter Island might be Maori related??? Believe the Maoris and Polynesians are related. The Polynesians not only reached the Cook Islands (Hawaii) but also Easter Island andddd New Zealand. I guess if they made it to Easter Island, they could have paddled a bit further to South America. Before anyone lectures me on Polynesian canoes being double hull catamaran with sails, I was being facetious with paddling a canoe.

--- Susan

 

I was able to take a better picture. Does that look like a word at the top of the figure on the right?

 

I don't think so. I think those lines above the eagle head is representing a crown. This is the coat-of-arms of the Bogota, the capital city of Columbia. Following is another such spoon better depicting the eagle and crown.

--- Susan


https://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/pr...n_Collector_Shield_Seal/Collectibles/Souvenir

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Bogotá

 

Thanks Susan. I agree. These don't seem to be as well made as the one you posted. What would your guess be on around when they were manufactured?