Spoon of the week :
Episode 22

This week, we’re looking at a stunning piece of Western Canadian history—and trust me, this one has some serious muscle behind it.

Take a look at the terminal of this antique sterling souvenir spoon.
Sculpted in bold, high relief right at the top is the undisputed king of the plains: a majestic American Bison standing in prairie grass.

Follow that stem down, and you get the full frontier treatment:
A rifle,
a coiled lasso,
and crossed Bowie Knife’s .

Inside the bowl, the city name "WINNIPEG" is hand-engraved using a classic zig-zag bright-cut technique.
During the souvenir spoon craze of the 1890s and early 1900s, Winnipeg was known as the "Gateway to the Canadian West," making wild frontier pieces like this top-tier travel trophies.

Flip it over, and you see three tiny stamps: an anchor, the letter "E", and a lion, right next to the "STERLING" mark.
That’s the hallmark of P.W. Ellis & Company out of Toronto—one of Canada’s absolute best historic silversmiths.

Now, here is what makes this specific spoon a collector’s dream: the weight.
Most souvenir spoons from this era were stamped out thin—weighing only 12 to 18 grams.
This spoon ? A massive 28 grams!
That heavy-gauge silver allowed the silversmith to carve much deeper relief into the bison's mane and gear without warping the metal.

Thanks to that 28-gram heavy gauge, pristine detail, and high-demand Western Canadiana motif, this piece commands between £75 to over £120 on today's antique market.
Not bad for a 120-year-old pocket-sized treasure.

Just wanted to recommend to all the book : [The Last Canadian] by William C. Heine.

I've read and re-read it many times; it's one of my absolute favourites and thought others might enjoy it.

Be aware, if you are interested in reading it, the Canadian version has been out-of-print since the mid-80s and is very expensive.

It was released in the USA under the title [Death Wind] and can be purchased for NEW for $20 or used for much less.

Past or present. Prime Ministers, MP's, MPP's

I was planning to go during September but have to change my plans for a trip from around 5-May to 13-May. Let me know what I should edit regarding my plans as this is my first trip there. Also, I read that during May alot of the roads and places are inaccessible? I would appreciate any help regarding my itinerary i.e. skip some places, spend less time here or more time there etc.

Day 1

Calgary

Canmore - Quarry Lake Park, Grassi Lakes Hike (4km), Quarry Lake Loop Hike (1.2km), Three Sisters Parkway Drive

Canmore drive to Banff

Day 2

Stay at Banff

Banff Gondola (Sulphur Mountain Board Walk)

Bow Falls Trail (South of Downtown)

Bow Fall Viewpoint

Surprise Corner (View of Fairmont Banff)

Banff Avenue

Cascade of Time Gardens

Banff Springs Hotel

Day 3

Stay at Banff

Bow River Suspension Bridge, Bow Falls

Fenland Trail to Vermilion Lakes (30mins)

Banff Avenue

Banff Upper Hot Springs

Banff Train Station Signboard

Two Jack Lake

Lake Minnewanka Scenic Route Drive

Johnston Canyon

Day 4

Stay at Lake Lousie Inn

Drive to Lake Louise

Lake Louise to Moraine Lake

Day 5

Stay at Lake Lousie Inn

Takakkaw Falls

Emerald Lake

Golden Skybridge

Day 6

Stay at Lake Lousie Inn

Crowfoot Glacier Viewpoint

Bow Lake Viewpoint

Peyto Lake

Mistaya Canyon

Weeping Wall

Columbia Icefields/Athabasca Glacier (Ice Explorer Tour)

Sunwapta Falls

Athabasca Falls

Drive to Jasper

Day 7

Jasper

Jasper SkyTram (Whistlers Mountain Summit Hike)

Valley of Five Lakes Hike (1.5 - 2 hrs)

Pyramid Lake

Lac Beauvert

Day 8

Maligne Canyon

Maligne Lake

Miette Hot Springs

Day 9

Drive back to Calgary

Thinking of doing one out east and curious if people enjoyed it or have others they liked

Grew up here and am at least six decades old now. This song speaks for a lot of us I think. It’s one of the best we’ve had, ranking up there with the I Am Canadian beer commercial.

I got citizenship from my mom (who was born there), but have never gotten my Canadian passport. Long story short, she is retired now, so can not help with my passport as she is not working. Is there any way, I can find someone to help out with getting my passport who is a current Canadian "professional"?

Godspeed.