Is this a fur trade ring?

hbru123 · Feb 3, 2018

I found these two rings where a Indian rancheria was in California during the Mission times. But the area was also in use up until the turn of the century-ish. I was wondering if these could be fur trade era?

Tom_in_CA · Feb 3, 2018

If I can chime in to the O.P.s post here (since I know where he found it) . By "fur trade", we mean that just in general terms of contact period times. Of trinkets traded to the indians.

We realize that the "flavor" of such era/period targets is going to differ in CA mission period sites (1770s to 1840s) versus what is typically thought of as "fur trade" in other parts of the USA. Eg.: upper midwest @ beaver pelts, or pacific northwest for seal/otter furs, etc...

In the location that the OP found this at, we have found other objects that are very clearly early contact period trinkets. Eg.: crude St. christophers (with the cool sideways hand-drilled clasps), trade rings, and hand-scrimshawed silver snippets.

This particular site was said to have early european contact /exploration as early as the mid 1810s. Which is newer than some of the coastal mission sites. But for the interior of CA, that is quite early. But as the OP indicates: This site was also habitated into the turn of the century (or 1910s?) . At which time all the remaining Indians were gathered up and herded into reservations (sad portion of history). So it's possible his rings are simply something from the later 1800s .

I tend to think his rings are not of the earlier venue. But .... perhaps someone here knows more than me, and recognizes it as earlier.

thanx !

Terry Soloman · Feb 4, 2018

Cool finds! Fur trade? Not in my opinion. Mid-to-Late 1800s in my opinion.

hbru123 · Feb 4, 2018

Terry Soloman said:
Cool finds! Fur trade? Not in my opinion. Mid-to-Late 1800s in my opinion.

Thanks!

Tom_in_CA · Feb 4, 2018

Terry Soloman said:
Cool finds! Fur trade? Not in my opinion. Mid-to-Late 1800s in my opinion.

Aaahhh, gee, you're no fun Terry . Haha, seriously now: That was my thoughts too. The type stuff from the earlier "trinkets to the indians" era was more plain, more crude, etc....

The site just gave up an 1836 fractional reale from Sonora. So we were hoping this dated to an era that early as well. But I'm tending to agree with you that it's later. Oh well.