Birds, birds, and more birds

Both of your pins are wonderful…I really like the bluejay(?). Your bottom pin represents the Thunderbird deity (half man, half eagle). The Zuni refer to these as Knifewings.

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Ahh! Thank you! I thought the top one was a road runner! And i kind of was wondering if the bottom was a knife wing! Thank you so much! :upside_down_face:

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Somehow I stumbled back to this thread and realized what I’ve missed! Great Depression era Kewa bolo, @chicfarmer, as is the knifewing pin, with wonderful yummy blue gem🥰.
I have one depression era Thunderbird tab necklace that I had packed away…great to pull it out again. Cruder and earlier than your bolo…1930’s-40’s (?)


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I love your depression bird @Bmpdvm! The straight out wings (neither upturned nor downturned) are a little unusual. I’m not sure about the age, but I know of one very high level and knowledgeable collector who has quite a few of these depression era necklaces and feels that the red plastic did not show up in them until the late 40’s or early 50’s, so that is what I have generally gone by.

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Thanks for that information @OrbitOrange! I’ll have to see if I can find information bout when the red plastic (toothbrushes?)was first used. Something about the design and the crude inlay made me feel it was older, but that was only my guess. Many years ago there was fabulous show of these depression era pieces at the Wheelwright Museum; the variation in style, form and size surprised me. Hope you are able to go to the Wheelwright when you are at Market!

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I’ve also read it was sometimes from Dairy Queen plastic cutlery.

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Sounds like a great exhibit on the depression era birds, and yes, I’m planning on going to the Wheelright in August! I usually go on Friday for their small artists market and consignment sale before the SWAIA market begins.

I think what @Ziacat said is right; they famously often used red plastic Dairy Queen spoons

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Ha!…that makes sense, but at some point I was told the sometimes used red plastic toothbrush handles. The red on my piece seems thicker than plastic spoons??? I’m sure they used what ever they had or could find.

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New to me, vintage hummingbird pin/ pendant. Loving it!


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