NOT SOLD (BIDDING OVER)
0.00USD+ applicable fees & taxes.
This item WAS NOT SOLD. Auction date was 2022 Sep 25 @ 22:03UTC-06:00 : CST/MDT
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Kirk Brothers was a supply house for traders created by Mike and his brother John, known as Dude. It was created to offer traders an alternative to CN Cotton. CN Cotton in Gallup was the main supply house to Navajo traders. Tokens from this facility could use at any store dealing with the wholesale supply house. Both Cotton and Kirk were located on the north side of Gallup. The KB stamp indicates the token was redeemed. In the late 50s, my dad, John W Kennedy purchased the Kirk building and created Gallup Indian Trading Company. Mike Kirk was an important, long-time trader in Gallup and Manuelito, 23 miles west of Gallup. He was prominent in business and community affairs. In 1922 he led a group of Gallup businessmen to form the Gallup Intertribal Indian Ceremonial Association, which was created to show appreciation by Gallup businesspeople for the economic support of the Navajo and Zuni Indians. For 100 years, the Ceremonial has set the highest bar for quality Indian arts and crafts. Mike was a founder of the United Indian Traders Association in 1931. That was a collation of reservation traders that initially focused upon marketing of Indian arts and crafts. In the 60s, the association began, by necessity, to focus upon the intrusion of reservation traders by various agencies and groups to protect trader leases and operations. The Manuelito store built in 1910 and was named by the Navajos, Kin Hócho'o (ugly house). Mike expanded to a retail location at the El Fidel Hotel in Albuquerque in 1932. Later, in the 1970s, businesses in that area were forced to relocate when I-40 was developed. The new interstate also wiped out his Manuelito store as well as the Gallup location. Mike was a popular and skilled trader. Other traders came to his supply business because of his reputation, and his Manuelito store was a mainstay for years. Mike lived in Gallup and commuted to his store in Manuelito. He had a large home and entertained many famous artists and entertainment personalities, including Will Rogers. I grew up next door to the Kirk home. His concrete tennis court was a great play area for neighborhood kids. In the 70s, his home was remodeled into four large apartments and still stands.
Mike had great foresight for the trading business and Indian arts and crafts. He actively pursued the use of trade tokens, and many variations of Mike Kirk trade tokens exist, including some knockoffs (Which he, obviously, would not support.). Other Kirk tokens are ME Kirk (Gallup) and Kirk Brothers (Gallup).
Auction Location:
3705 B-1 Ellison Blvd NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87114, United States
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