Object Notes

This scoop is of exceptional quality both technically and aesthetically. By the 1860s, the United States was the world leader in innovative flatware design. One reason for this position was the arrival of many talented silversmiths following the Revolution of 1848 in Europe. A significant number of these craftsmen were of Germanic origin.

During the late 1870s and early 1880s, American designers were fascinated by Japanese art. The eastern influence was particularly strong in the area of silver work with the firms of Tiffany & Company and Gorham often producing extraordinary objects. This tray is such a piece and was one of a series of special-order trays made in 1881.

New Art was a varient pattern only made in silver pieces. Different flowers appeared on various pieces. This design is very close to the Durgin Iris. 

In both its shape and floral decoration, this vase is an excellent example of American silver in the Persian or East Indian taste.

The Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island sold large amounts of silver in California beginning in the 1860s and greatly influenced silver design there. With its use of neo-greco decoration balanced by expanses of unornamented surface, this pitcher is closely related to contemporary Gorham products designed by George Wilkinson.

This profusely sculpted tureen and accompanying base-plate represent a rare example of Gorham's work in a proto-art nouveau mode. The forceful curves and shell incrustations recall the 18th-century rococo style as well. More immediate sources for the marine-themed container are found in Japanese graphic design and metalwork.

This tray is part of a line of copperwares made by Gorham between 1881 and 1885. Its design is derived from Japanese art and features pine and cherry branches. The image of the figure on the yak may well have been lifted directly from a Japanese printed source.