No, not the nitro-explosive hot rod classic of 1959 (filmed near Dallas at Cielo Ranch), but the Mayer Brothers Sterling version issued as a souvenir spoon for the mining center of Globe Arizona. Seems typical of their fine work, but a patent mark may raise some questions.
To start, here’s a collection of Catalina Island related spoons on Islapedia which tried to study various marks and design alterations: https://www.islapedia.com/index.php?tit ... EATTLE,_WA
That covered, it is reported (well known antiques source) that Joseph Mayer & Bros. used the “M & B” mark up to the split in 1920 whence the “M B” mark was used to represent Joseph Mayer & Co.. Apparently, the other two Mayer Brothers are said to have continued separately providing wholesale to the jewelry trade. Now, the question is “Did the second mark actually go with the two brothers rather than staying with Joseph Mayer?”. This spoon seems to suggest a different history than what has been laid out.
Images forthcoming…
The Giant Gila Monster
Re: The Giant Gila Monster
Set 1, general & with marks:
Set 2, details front, back and bowl:
Notice there is a patent here by an unknown GJC. I could not find any evidence of the existence of a Globe Jewelry Company, but it seems likely that one could have been in that township during the explosive growth era of 1900-1930. At that point, the Old Dominion mine smelter was closed and the downward spiral set in. More to come.
Set 2, details front, back and bowl:
Notice there is a patent here by an unknown GJC. I could not find any evidence of the existence of a Globe Jewelry Company, but it seems likely that one could have been in that township during the explosive growth era of 1900-1930. At that point, the Old Dominion mine smelter was closed and the downward spiral set in. More to come.
Re: The Giant Gila Monster
To continue, while the Mayer’s reportedly were able to re-use design elements (like native American Indians) on different spoon orders, everything here seems to be of a custom nature very specific to the Gila Valley territories. First, the lizard is a probable Gila Monster which once were heavily concentrated there…not a Mexican Spotted lizard found elsewhere (the kind used in that movie). Second, the Indian is an Apache warrior hold8ng what appears to be a Trapdoor breech loading type Springfield Armory 1973 rifle…not a muzzle loader, but exactly what the Apache riflemen carried in addition to the side loading arms that followed. Third, the basket may be non-descript but the Apache did use them and at least one symbol here (the cross) is found in relation to them (woven design on blanket). The swastika was very common throughout southwest useage by natives and non-natives in this era, and while not a limiting factor, combining it with the other three elements might point toward this region in particular. But what are the other two elements and who used them? Fourthly, that world globe was in fact the official mark of Globe Arizona, used over the long part of the town history…can’t say the pioneer era for certain. Fiftly, the bowl is limited to the Old Dominion Smelter which concerned the rather isolated town (more on this later) of Globe. It can’t be used to represent another place.
So what we have here is a locally oriented design covered by a patent held by this unknown G.J.Co. and executed, after circa 1920, by either Joseph Mayer & Co. or by the Mayer Bros. firm (again, known as wholesalers to the jewelry trade). Do we need to re-think who was making these? Is there any further evidence to be found?
So what we have here is a locally oriented design covered by a patent held by this unknown G.J.Co. and executed, after circa 1920, by either Joseph Mayer & Co. or by the Mayer Bros. firm (again, known as wholesalers to the jewelry trade). Do we need to re-think who was making these? Is there any further evidence to be found?
Re: The Giant Gila Monster
Background information:
At one time, silver was found in the area but it laregly played out and mining was shifted to the vast copper deposits. Globe, supposedly named after a big chunk of Ag that was found, was relatively isolated from the world and relied on wagon and animal power. Eventually, the Gila Valley, Globe and Northern Railway was built with a connection to the Southern Pacific’s mainline on the Sunset Route (see map). Central Pacific’s “Jupiter”, used at the Golden Spike ceremony of 1869, found its’ way there becoming G.V., G. & N. Ry. #1 (previously #60 on the home roads). As Globe developed, the rail line went under the control of the Arizona Eastern. So the town had outside access, but it wasn’t until circa 1910 that true direct rail service was intitiated between Portland and Seattle over the Oregon & Washington line (Harriman controlled). (The A.E. Globe station dates to around 1911.) Before that, it was a real complicated mess through Goble Oregon using ferry boat services. In short, while the Mayer Brothers may have been happy to deal with isolated mining towns, I hardly expect their business with Globe was occuring any time before this upgrade to the whole transportation system had been completed. So this may be the earliest spoon, and maybe the only one, that they may have done for this town. (The real boom occurs between 1910 and 1920, with the minor problem of the 1917 Strike. Earlier fires and floods had removed many of the older structures from the pioneering era.) At this point, Apache uprisings were a thing of the past and they were more likely to be celebrated as colorful local history, however inaccurate. Hollywood was in full swing out west and cowboy flicks were a going thing with the public. Nevertheless, Jupiter was set out for scrap and went under the torch with little regard to historic value, requiring a complete replica be made. So much for the “melt”, the spoon survived.
(*Another sample of this spoon exists in online images, but the area where the patent mark should be was damaged or destroyed. So this is the best sample at our disposal right now.)
At one time, silver was found in the area but it laregly played out and mining was shifted to the vast copper deposits. Globe, supposedly named after a big chunk of Ag that was found, was relatively isolated from the world and relied on wagon and animal power. Eventually, the Gila Valley, Globe and Northern Railway was built with a connection to the Southern Pacific’s mainline on the Sunset Route (see map). Central Pacific’s “Jupiter”, used at the Golden Spike ceremony of 1869, found its’ way there becoming G.V., G. & N. Ry. #1 (previously #60 on the home roads). As Globe developed, the rail line went under the control of the Arizona Eastern. So the town had outside access, but it wasn’t until circa 1910 that true direct rail service was intitiated between Portland and Seattle over the Oregon & Washington line (Harriman controlled). (The A.E. Globe station dates to around 1911.) Before that, it was a real complicated mess through Goble Oregon using ferry boat services. In short, while the Mayer Brothers may have been happy to deal with isolated mining towns, I hardly expect their business with Globe was occuring any time before this upgrade to the whole transportation system had been completed. So this may be the earliest spoon, and maybe the only one, that they may have done for this town. (The real boom occurs between 1910 and 1920, with the minor problem of the 1917 Strike. Earlier fires and floods had removed many of the older structures from the pioneering era.) At this point, Apache uprisings were a thing of the past and they were more likely to be celebrated as colorful local history, however inaccurate. Hollywood was in full swing out west and cowboy flicks were a going thing with the public. Nevertheless, Jupiter was set out for scrap and went under the torch with little regard to historic value, requiring a complete replica be made. So much for the “melt”, the spoon survived.
(*Another sample of this spoon exists in online images, but the area where the patent mark should be was damaged or destroyed. So this is the best sample at our disposal right now.)
Re: The Giant Gila Monster
The best Mayer information we have is here: https://www.silvercollection.it/AMERICA ... RKSMN.html
We might assume a chronological order of the mark samples, but it does not emphatically state this difference between the “M B” and “M & B” marks. However, an Alaska-Yukon Exposition coin from 1909 is stamped Mayer Brothers in simple letters such that we might conclude this was the operating name at that time. In 1905, for a Lewis & Clark medal the pick, pan, and shovel was used as a design element on the front side and can be seen in other items by the brothers. Why would Mayer Brothers be changed to Joseph Mayer & Brothers (assuming that’s the correct order)? Was he taking a senior position later on? Was there a corporate filing requiring a new name?
We might assume a chronological order of the mark samples, but it does not emphatically state this difference between the “M B” and “M & B” marks. However, an Alaska-Yukon Exposition coin from 1909 is stamped Mayer Brothers in simple letters such that we might conclude this was the operating name at that time. In 1905, for a Lewis & Clark medal the pick, pan, and shovel was used as a design element on the front side and can be seen in other items by the brothers. Why would Mayer Brothers be changed to Joseph Mayer & Brothers (assuming that’s the correct order)? Was he taking a senior position later on? Was there a corporate filing requiring a new name?
Re: The Giant Gila Monster
A clue may be in the shovel and pick trading positions. On the 1905 medal, the pick was to the left side. That seems to reverse itself over time.
Re: The Giant Gila Monster
Link to some clock studies which gives address and business dating information on Joseph Mayer: http://nawcc50.org/Joseph_Mayer_Street_ ... venue.html
Of interest would be a re-use of a mark with a left side pick and the letters “J M” over “Co.” (not “Inc.”). This might have been a very early mark.
In addition, a Mayer Bros. Wholesale catalog for 1965-66 (current listings) also shows a left pick logo with the “M B” mark and an “established 1897” indication.
So far, everything seems to point to the pick being shifted to the right much earlier than 1920 and only being replaced at the time that Joseph split with his brothers and incorporated his firm with the new mark being introduced. (Of course this transition might not have been immediate. There was a business recession occuring in this era, especially causing problems in the northwest, and finances could have been tight at that time.)
Of interest would be a re-use of a mark with a left side pick and the letters “J M” over “Co.” (not “Inc.”). This might have been a very early mark.
In addition, a Mayer Bros. Wholesale catalog for 1965-66 (current listings) also shows a left pick logo with the “M B” mark and an “established 1897” indication.
So far, everything seems to point to the pick being shifted to the right much earlier than 1920 and only being replaced at the time that Joseph split with his brothers and incorporated his firm with the new mark being introduced. (Of course this transition might not have been immediate. There was a business recession occuring in this era, especially causing problems in the northwest, and finances could have been tight at that time.)
Re: The Giant Gila Monster
The Arizona Memory Project has some viewable Globe directories online. In the 1919-20 Globe-Miami City Directory, there are no listings for either Globe nor Gila Jewelry Companies. However, there is the Cubitto Jewelry Company at 360 N. Broad run by Joseph Cubitto living at 521 N. Willow. Advertising indicates “Globe’s Leading Jeweler” established in 1905 and found “At The Sign of The Street Clock”. They were still listed in the 1928 directory. (The swastika was then being used as a border design in that 1920 directory by the printers, but not directly related to Cubitto.) It may be possible that the patent here was actually meant to read C.J.Co….even in that directory, the “C” kind of looks like “G”. So maybe this was some minor error of letter styles. At any rate, it does not really narrow down the dating possibilities.
Re: The Giant Gila Monster
Looking through some of Trev’s fine posting in Contributors Notes, Paye & Baker were really pushing the Good Luck Swastika Cross symbol around 1907. By about 1914/15, Southern Pacific was promoting the Apache Trail Tours which made a stop of Globe for a meal time before the touring vehicles proceeded onwards (there was a lodge along the way also used for stops). This may have provided opportunity for a dealer like Cubitto to begin to cash in on tightly controlled design for a tourist momento at that end of the highway. It may have continued beyond the falloff of rail travelers as automobiles started arriving over much improved roadways (at least by the standards back then).