- Jan 6, 2014
- 13,735
- 49,245
- Detector(s) used
- White's prizm IV
Keene A52 with Gold Hog mats
Gold-N-Sand hand dredge
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Ivory Pie Server
- Thread starter Oregon Viking
- Start date
Red-Coat
Gold Member
Interesting item.
Note that it’s ‘signed’ with the name “Nuguruk” but it’s not authentic Eskimo work. “Alaskan” souvenirs like this were produced by the Hermann Krupp Company of Seattle and others from c.1910 onwards and were hand-engraved but by non-Eskimos using a company-supplied template. They’re ‘signed’ with Eskimo-sounding names such as “Nuguruk” or “Nunuk” irrespective of the engraver or the producing company and there are a number of stock patterns such as seal on ice floe, dog sled, cabin, and a dozen or so others.
By the 1960s the James L. Houston company of Seattle engaged a former Krupp employee, Karl Lemke, to mass produce the handles including the fake signature by mechanical engraving, and yours is likely from that period.
Typically they made carving sets, pie servers, cheese slicers and such which were sold wholesale to outlets in Alaska where tourists mistakenly believed them to be Eskimo-carved from walrus ivory. The metal cutlery parts were usually imported from Germany, Sweden or England and the ivory parts were usually imported elephant ivory. Individual pieces can be picked up for around $15 and sets for around $25
Note that it’s ‘signed’ with the name “Nuguruk” but it’s not authentic Eskimo work. “Alaskan” souvenirs like this were produced by the Hermann Krupp Company of Seattle and others from c.1910 onwards and were hand-engraved but by non-Eskimos using a company-supplied template. They’re ‘signed’ with Eskimo-sounding names such as “Nuguruk” or “Nunuk” irrespective of the engraver or the producing company and there are a number of stock patterns such as seal on ice floe, dog sled, cabin, and a dozen or so others.
By the 1960s the James L. Houston company of Seattle engaged a former Krupp employee, Karl Lemke, to mass produce the handles including the fake signature by mechanical engraving, and yours is likely from that period.
Typically they made carving sets, pie servers, cheese slicers and such which were sold wholesale to outlets in Alaska where tourists mistakenly believed them to be Eskimo-carved from walrus ivory. The metal cutlery parts were usually imported from Germany, Sweden or England and the ivory parts were usually imported elephant ivory. Individual pieces can be picked up for around $15 and sets for around $25
- Feb 3, 2009
- 41,576
- 159,451
- 🥇 Banner finds
- 1
- Detector(s) used
- Deus, Deus 2, Minelab 3030, E-Trac,
- Primary Interest:
- Relic Hunting
I certainly remember these boxes, and reading the insert from the early days of collecting.
Cool purchase.
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