$650.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Size 4.25" H x 3" W
Hand Crafted from German Silver with Scalloped Stamped Details and 7 - .625" D Disks Dangling from the Bottom
Excellent Condition
Plains German Silver Heart Pin is a traditional decorative pin crafted in German silver (a nickel-copper-zinc alloy, not containing actual silver) by Southern Plains Indigenous artisans, such as those from Kiowa, Comanche, Cheyenne, or Arapaho tribes. These pins are part of a broader tradition of metalwork that emerged in the mid-19th century and continues today in powwow regalia, ceremonial attire, and everyday adornment. Heart-shaped designs, while not the most common form, appear in Plains metalwork as symbolic elements representing love, protection, or spiritual motifs, often adapted from earlier trade silver influences.
Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) trading jewelry, particularly from the fur trade era, often features German silver, a durable alloy commonly used in historical trade items. These pieces include necklaces, pendants, and gorgets, typically stamped with "HB" .
The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) was established on May 2, 1670, with a charter from King Charles II of England to trade in the Hudson Bay region and seek a northwest passage to the Pacific.
The company's fur trade operations began in earnest in the late 17th century, with posts established along James and Hudson Bays during the 1670s and 1680s.
The HBC engaged in the fur trade for nearly two centuries, becoming a dominant force in North American commerce, particularly in the territories known as Rupert’s Land.
The company maintained a monopoly on the fur trade in Rupert’s Land and the Northwest Territories until 1821, when it merged with its main rival, the North West Company, under the HBC name.
Provenance: From the Len and Toni Wood Private Collection, Laguna Beach, California
