Usually if I find treasure in the form of spoons and knives at a garage sale it is because it is sterling silver, or vintage hunting knives. But this time I found something amazing in different way.
I found these 38 butter knives and tea spoons. Each has been hand painted with eye for detail at a tiny scale. They feature pioneer scenes with cabins and nature. One of the most amazing things about the collection is that the cabin in 90% of them is the same cabin from different angles, different seasons and different times. The tiny paintings show how the homestead progressed with addition of out buildings and even a road.
The signed artist is “Ann Simmons” and many have “Fort St John” meticulously painted on them. A Google search for Ann produced nothing. At the garage sale itself the sellers didn’t really know anything about them other than they belonged to a distant relation. The spoons and knives themselves are for the most part older silver plate.
This it treasure. A true look at homesteading in the Peace Region. The conditions people met and conquered. What it took to survive and thrive for those early pioneers to this area.
Cool stuff.
