Featured Where do I put this? Tribal Art? Jewelry? Silver?

Well, it's all three, so I'll just put it here instead!

Sterling silver Navajo Thunderbird pin. Unfortunately, the pin is missing.

Anyone have thoughts on age? Size is 1 1/2" high and 1 3/4" wide.

 

Fred Harvey era...?

 

Had a pin like that, think it was given away as a freebie years ago.

 

Replacing the pin stem wouldn't be too hard if you have a spare. Any decent jeweler could do it if you can't.

 

NICE pin.....it'll shine up BEAUTIFULLY!!!!

 

Very nice, and evocative of an era. Probably made in the 1930s-40s for trade along the Santa Fe Railway.
Not traditional Navajo, but probably Native made. The pin can be replaced in a minute, maybe two.

The bird is often called a thunderbird, but it is actually inspired by a petroglyph found while building the railroad. It became the symbol of the Santa Fe Railway.
Fred Harvey was the first to open a chain of restaurants and souvenir shops along the railroad. He also organized craft exhibits. The name Fred Harvey is often used for souvenir jewellery of that era.

Fred Harvey and FH jewellery fact and fiction:
https://nativeamericanjewelrytips.wordpress.com/2015/11/17/fred-harvey-the-man-the-era-the-jewelry/

Some jewellery associated with the 'Fred Harvey era':

 

Thanks! The pin belonged to my great aunt, who wore it often. Perhaps she got it as a young girl on one of her trips out west with her parents. Or she could have bought it herself as late as the 40's or 50's, according to the history of Fred Harvey above.

I've actually heard of Fred Harvey, through a totally unrelated story from the other side of the family. Boring family history here, so read on at your own risk.

My great grandfather rode for Teddy Roosevelts Rough Riders, and was part of the charge up Kettle Hill, also known as the Battle of San Juan Hill in Cuba. He became friends with another Rough Rider, a man who I recently discovered had started out in the Fred Harvey System. After the Spanish American War, this man became proprietor of many different hotels, including one in the home town of my great grandfather, who was a businessman. My great grandfather also shared a tent in Cuba with Frank Knox, who after the war, became Secretary of the Navy under Franklin D. Roosevelt. Collectively after the war, the three of them were known as "The Three Musketeers", according to local newspaper accounts of that time.

But that's enough of that.

 

Not boring at all, wcubed.

 

Well, more interesting for me anyway. I wish I could go back in time and talk to them. I have so many questions about missing pieces in the family history about that whole time period.

 

That's way Cool !!
& it's the story behind the antique items that gets our blood flowing.....
Please , bore us more....at your leisure !!!

 

I will try when I can.

I'm afraid I have already forgotten some of what I was told decades ago.