Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
In its heyday, the Durgin Silver Company was one of the largest sterling silver flatware and hollowware manufacturers in the United States. Responsible for the trailblazing Fairfax pattern — one of the most popular patterns in the U.S. for a time during the early 20th century — Durgin Silver established a reputation for quality and durability.
The company was founded in 1853 in Concord, New Hampshire, by William Butler Durgin. Raised by farmers in Campton, New Hampshire, in 1833, Durgin grew up learning about agriculture from his parents. To their dismay, he decided life as a farmer wasn’t for him, and he shifted his focus to jewelry.
Durgin left Campton for Boston, where openings in the jewelry trade were scarce at the time. Undaunted, he became an apprentice to a silversmith named Newell Harding. In his second year as an apprentice, however, Durgin fell ill and returned to New Hampshire, settling in Concord. After he recovered, Durgin established his eponymous company.
Over the next 50 years, the Durgin Silver Company earned accolades for its role as one of the finest producers of sterling silverware in America. From its large brick factory in Concord, the firm manufactured exquisite tableware, serving pieces, tea sets and home decor such as candleholders. Its variety of elegant patterns, including Chatham, Chrysanthemum, English Rose, Louis XV, Victorian, Orange Blossom and the aforementioned Fairfax, were extraordinarily popular.
In 1878, Durgin’s son George Francis, who had learned silversmithing from his father, became a partner and the company enjoyed considerable success around the turn of the 20th century. Among their clients were the Packard Motor Company, the Davis Cup, the National Cash Register Company and the battleship U.S.S. New Hampshire, for which they made a 72-piece silver service and bell.
Durgin died in 1905 of cystitis and pneumonia, and tragically, George died soon afterward. That year, Durgin Silver became a division of another well-known American silver firm, the Gorham Silver Manufacturing Company. Today, Durgin Silver remains highly coveted among collectors of American silver.
On 1stDibs, find a range of antique Durgin Silver Company serveware and decorative objects.
Early 1900s American Edwardian Antique Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Metal, Silver, Silver Plate, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century British Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Silver, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Unknown Rustic Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Pottery
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Leather
1890s English Late Victorian Antique Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Silver, Sterling Silver
1870s Austrian Late Victorian Antique Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Sterling Silver, Silver
Late 19th Century Unknown Louis XIV Antique Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Wood
20th Century English Art Deco Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Crystal
20th Century British Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Silver
1890s English Victorian Antique Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Silver, Sterling Silver
20th Century English Durgin Silver Company More Furniture and Collectibles
Silver, Sterling Silver
Durgin Silver Company more furniture and collectibles for sale on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Yes, the International Silver Company produced real silver products. The marking IS, or International Silver, does not indicate the purity of the silver. In order to determine if the piece is real silver, look for the mark “925,” which indicates sterling silver.
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 3, 2024No, the International Silver Company is not still in business. In 1981, the company stopped producing silver due to financial troubles. By 1983, its assets had undergone complete liquidation, and in 1984, Katy Industries Inc. purchased the company. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of International Silver Company silver wares.