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1267

Otto Mears Mining Spoon

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Mining Start Price:500.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
Otto Mears Mining Spoon
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Otto Mears was a hard working Russian emigrant. He was an orphan with no family to take care of him when he was “shipped” to San Francisco during the gold rush, where he spent his teen years with a kind lady. A member of the California Volunteers in New Mexico, Mears started a general store, slowly moving over to Colorado and building a good reputation as he progressed through life and business. After building a wagon road in 1870, Mears discovered that these roads could, and were, quite profitable. One of his wagon roads was into and out of the Silverton mining region. He founded the Silverton Railroad in 1887, and the Rio Grande Southern in 1890. When the Sherman Act was repealed in 1893, essentially demonetizing silver, the mines, local economies, Mears and his rail lines took a hard economic hit.

Along the way, Mears made a number of memorable collectibles. These items seemed destined for future collectors. All were first of a kind, and involved the “treasures” of the regions. In 1888, he made a rail pass out of buckskin, now very rare. We sold one in 2011 for $11,162. In 1889, Mears made two different silver passes. We have sold about six of these passes from $6,000 to $17,500 depending on condition and who they were issued to. In 1890, he made a watch fob pass, also very rare (ours sold for $9,500). In 1892, he issued a “filigree” pass, also very rare (sold for $12,300.)

Mears had three spectacular sterling silver spoons made sometime during the period 1888 and 1891. One of these bears Mears’ likeness. Another has a classic mining scene (this spoon). The third has no description in William Strong’s book on the Mears passes and spoons (The Remarkable Railroad Passes of Otto Mears, 1988), but is referenced as notated in the Colorado Historical Society Collection. We offered one of the Mears portrait spoons in 2012 at an estimate of $5,000-$7,000. A rarely seen related Mears piece is the die struck Colorado delegate badge for the National Silver Convention of 1889, with Mears name on the back (see lot 1362)

This is the first Mears mining scene spoon we’ve had, and the first we’ve seen offered. It has “Denver” etched on the back of the head and is in near mint condition. Die struck throughout (raised letters).

Made by Henry Bohm of Denver, this 6" spoon has miners depicted at the top, with a line dropping to the bucket at the mine's bottom where two other miners are working, loading the bucket of ore to bring to the surface. Henry Bohm came to Denver from Leadville in 1881 and established the Henry Bohm Jewelry Company, which later became Bohm-Allen Company. He was a leading jeweler in early Denver.
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