RARE I WILL LADY AFTER 1871 FIRE CHICAGO ILLINOIS STERLING SILVER SOUVENIR SPOON

Description

This antique sterling silver souvenir spoon commemorates the great Chicago fire of 1871, time preceding Columbus Exposition held in Chicago Illinois in 1893. The handle is featuring image of a lady with winged hat and writing I WILL and CHICAGO down the handle. I WILL is a symbol for rebuilding of Chicago after devastating fire of 1871. On the back of handle more images: wheel with wings, engraved initials and hog’s head with decorations. It is in great vintage used condition, measures 5-3/4 inch long (144 mm). On the back marked STERLING and has maker’s hallmark. Shipping on multiple purchases are gladly combined. Please see other, some rare, collector spoons I'm currently listing.
Here is some more history:
The summer of 1871 was very dry, leaving the ground parched and the wooden city vulnerable. On Sunday evening, October 8, 1871, just after nine o'clock, a fire broke out in the barn behind the home of Patrick and Catherine O'Leary at 13 DeKoven Street. How the fire started is still unknown today, but an O'Leary cow often gets the credit. The firefighters, exhausted from fighting a large fire the day before, were first sent to the wrong neighborhood. When they finally arrived at the O'Leary's, they found the fire raging out of control. The blaze quickly spread east and north. Wooden houses, commercial and industrial buildings, and private mansions were all consumed in the blaze. After two days, rain began to fall. On the morning of October 10, 1871, the fire died out, leaving complete devastation in the heart of the city. At least 300 people were dead, 100,000 people were homeless, and 0 million worth of property was destroyed. The entire central business district of Chicago was leveled. The fire was one of the most spectacular events of the nineteenth century, and it is recognized as a major milestone in the city's history.