Lot 98D
Native American, Southwestern United States, likely Navajo, ca. early 20th century CE. This is a set of antique bakelite poker chips and wooden box with swastikas in the center of each chip- symbols with roots in Native American culture, long before the 20th century. The chips are about the size of silver dollars, the bakelite is colored on the outer edge in blue, red, pink, and yellow - the white inside has the good luck or whirling log symbol, now more commonly known as the swastika, in the same color as the outer edge. These chips were a popular type until World War II era when the Nazi party tainted the symbol with their use, and most tribes stopped using the swastika due to the extreme negative connotations it attained. The wood box is sturdy with a brass lock plate and keyhole on the interior and green felt lining. The tray has a brass ring handle and is removable from the case. Included are 296 chips (51 yellow, 72 pink, 74 red, and 99 blue). Size (case): 12" L x 6.5" W x 4.75" H (30.5 cm x 16.5 cm x 12.1 cm); (chip): 1.5" Diameter x 0.11" W (3.8 cm x 0.3 cm)
Today most people will associate the swastika symbol with the Nazi party and the extreme atrocities of the Holocaust, however the word swastika comes from the Sanskrit word for good fortune or well-being. The hooked cross shape was used in Neolithic Eurasia to represent the movement of the sun through the sky and is still commonly seen today as a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The Native American use of the swastika has been found in Mississippian sites in Ohio and the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex, and in the southwestern tribes of the Navajo, Hopi, and plains tribes such as the Dakota. The Navajo use it as a symbol for the whirling log in healing rituals.
Provenance: Whisnant Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA acquired prior to 2000
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#170225
- Condition: Box is excellent with some minor age and use expected nicks and missing a metal foot on base, very slightly off balance. Tray comes out easily and has some chips and nicks to wood. Fading of pigments on chips.
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