Gorham 'Narragansett' Gold Washed Sterling Shell Dish & Figural Crab Spoon
About the Item
- Creator:Gorham Manufacturing Company (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)Width: 4.5 in (11.43 cm)Depth: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)
- Style:Aesthetic Movement (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1890s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:West Palm Beach, FL
- Reference Number:
Gorham Manufacturing Company
For nearly 160 years, the Gorham Manufacturing Company turned out a wide range of beautiful silver flatware, tea sets, serving bowls and other silver pieces, indelibly influencing the field of decorative arts in ways that still resonate.
When silversmiths Jabez Gorham and Henry Webster started making coin silver teaspoons and jewelry out of a small workshop in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1831, the pair likely had no idea that their modest operation would one day become the largest silver manufacturer in the world.
While some name changes and personnel shifts preceded the foundry officially being established as Gorham Manufacturing Company decades later, growth of the business between its early days and the mid–19th century can largely be attributed to the work of Jabez’s son John, who assumed control of Gorham in the 1840s.
John Gorham introduced steam power at the manufactory. He entered into a partnership with Michael Gibney, the first American silversmith to register a design patent for a flatware pattern. Gorham wanted to expand the business, seeking to produce forks and spoons adorned with decorative flourishes adapted from British patterns. The company hammered out the silver flatware, which it sent to Gibney in New York to apply decorative patterns before returning to Gorham. Consequently, Gorham found Gibney’s work unsatisfactory, and he purchased his own rolling press to do the work himself.
The partnership between John and Michael soured but the company thrived. Sales grew to more than $20,000 per year, and the staff of silversmiths expanded. To keep up with demand, Gorham had to retire its horse-powered rolling press and import a steam-powered drop press from England — the first used in the United States. Designs created at Gorham drew on natural-world motifs as well as artistic traditions from all over the world — alongside its tableware, the company would soon be producing cups and pitchers adorned with polar bears and forest creatures, while tea services and other serving pieces were crafted in a range of styles that included Art Nouveau, Egyptian Revival and Rococo.
Around 1860, Gorham delved into bronze casting. When it opened a division dedicated to bronze work, Gorham collaborated with sculptors such as Daniel Chester French, Anna Hyatt Huntington and Alexander P. Proctor.
By the 1920s, Gorham had employed thousands of workers and had partnered with Danish modernist silversmith Erik Magnussen. However, the Great Depression ground production to a halt. The company was sold to Textron, Inc. in the late 1960s and it changed hands several times before it sold to Department 56 in 2005.
Today, the work of Gorham Manufacturing Company continues to be exhibited in galleries and museums. The RISD Museum in Providence houses a collection of nearly 5,000 works.
On 1stDibs, find a range of antique Gorham Manufacturing Company serveware and decorative objects.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: West Palm Beach, FL
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 2 days of delivery.
- Gorham 'Narragansett' Sterling- Silver Shell Dish & Figural Crab SpoonBy Gorham Manufacturing CompanyLocated in West Palm Beach, FLGorham 'Narragansett' Sterling- Silver Shell Dish & Figural Crab Spoon USA, circa 1890s A rare find, two piece set in one of scarcest patterns of the Gorham Mfg. Co. 'Narragansett', a sculptural Shell Dish & Figural Crab Spoon, this offering is the example without a slight gold wash finish. This sterling silver shell oyster shell complete with figural crab spoon, a diminutive work, yet a captivating piece is a true testament to the artistry of Gorhams American Aesthetic silversmithing. The oval shell is skillfully encrusted with barnacles, creating a mesmerizing texture, and is raised on a smaller vertical rough piddock shell, complete with a rare addition a intertwined rope crab encrusted nautilus spoon. The shell dish bears the hallmarks of Gorham Silver Company. The serving dish speaks volumes of its quality. Its dimensions, measuring 1.5 inches high, 4.5 inches wide, and 2.5 inches deep, are complemented by the 5-inch by 1-inch wide three-dimensional crab-encrusted nautilus spoon, apparently unmarked. This duo is a rare and unique find, a captivating addition to any table service or collection. Weighing in approximately 5 ounces of sterling silver, this set not only highlights the exceptional craftsmanship of the short lived aesthetic period, embodying the essence of mindful, high-quality Victorian artistry. We are pleased to let you know at the time of posting we are offering another example Gorham 'Narragansett' Gold Washed Sterling Shell Dish...Category
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