Pair of Silvered and Gilt 'Fleur Des Siècles' Flower Basket Models
About the Item
- Creator:Gorham Manufacturing Company (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 4.73 in (12 cm)Width: 6.3 in (16 cm)Depth: 4.73 in (12 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1975
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:
Gorham Manufacturing Company
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: London, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Pair of silvered and gilt-metal 'Fleurs des Siècles' flower models by GorhamBy Gorham Manufacturing CompanyLocated in London, GBPair of silvered and gilt-metal 'Fleurs des Siècles' flower models by Gorham American, c.1975 Height 12cm, width 14cm, depth 10cm These beautiful de...Category
Vintage 1970s American Natural Specimens
MaterialsMetal, Silver Plate
- Pair of Gilt-Metal and Enamel 'Fleurs Des Siècles' Flower Baskets by GorhamBy Jane Hutcheson, Gorham Manufacturing CompanyLocated in London, GBPair of gilt-metal and enamel 'Fleurs des Siècles' flower baskets by Gorham American, circa 1975 Measures: height 15cm, width 17cm, depth 13cm D...Category
Vintage 1970s American Modern Models and Miniatures
MaterialsGold Plate, Enamel
- Pair of Gilt-Metal and Enamel ‘Fleurs des Siècles’ Flower BasketsBy Jane Hutcheson, Gorham Manufacturing CompanyLocated in London, GBPair of gilt-metal and enamel ‘Fleurs des Siècles’ flower baskets American, c. 1975 Height 16cm, width 18cm, depth 14cm With their delicate beauty, these two flower baskets are sens...Category
20th Century American Modern Decorative Baskets
MaterialsMetal, Enamel
- Hardstone, Quartz, Amethyst, Nephrite and Silver-Gilt Flower ModelLocated in London, GBHardstone, quartz, amethyst, nephrite and silver-gilt flower model Continental, 20th century Measures : Height 25cm, width 21cm, depth 12cm. This exc...Category
20th Century European Modern Natural Specimens
MaterialsAmethyst, Quartz, Silver
- Silver-Gilt and Enamel Austro-Hungarian Horse Drawn Carriage ModelLocated in London, GBA silver-gilt and enamel Austro-Hungarian horse drawn carriage model Austro-Hungarian, Early 20th Century Case: 28cm high x 89cm wide x 44...Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Modern Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsGold, Silver, Enamel
- Large Hardstone, Quartz, Gold, and Lapis Lazuli Model of an Alpine Flower BedLocated in London, GBLarge hardstone, quartz, gold, nephrite and lapis lazuli model of an alpine flower bed Continental, 20th Century Measures: Height 7cm, width 37cm, depth 27cm A beautiful objet d'art, this exceptionally fine flower bed model is a 20th century continental precious stone and metal model, made from a host of precious materials and assembled with great poise, skill, and artistry. The quartz base underpinning the miniature garden...Category
20th Century European Modern Natural Specimens
MaterialsLapis Lazuli, Quartz, Gold
- Osterloh Botanic Model of a Wheat Flower, Germany, 1900Located in Milan, ITA botanic didactical specimen depicting a Wheat flower (Triticum durum), made out of papier mache wood and metal with black wooden base, hand painted. Extremely detailed. Osterloh Mo...Category
Early 20th Century German Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsMetal
- Botanic Model of Inflorescence, Flower Head, Italy, 1930Located in Milan, ITA rare botanical schematic model by Prof. T. Ferraris, didactic use, of a type of inflorescence specimen, the Simple Flower Head, made with hand-painte...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsPlaster, Wood, Paper
- Pair of Chinese Gilt Deity FiguresLocated in New York, NYPair of Asian Chinese style (18/19th Cent) gilt diety / priest figures standing on lotus-form bases.Category
Antique 19th Century Chinese Export Figurative Sculptures
- Pair of Reliefs, Carved, Polychrome and Gilt Wood, Castilian School, 16th CLocated in Madrid, ESPair of reliefs. Carved, polychrome and gilt wood. Castilian school, 16th century. Pair of carved and polychrome wooden reliefs with figurative relig...Category
Antique 16th Century Spanish Renaissance Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsOther
- Frech Gilt and Silvered Necklace "Le Bélier" by Line VautrinBy Line VautrinLocated in Atlanta, GAA cast bronze necklace titled " "Le Bélier" (the Ram) by French Parisin art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997). The ram necklace and its variations were con...Category
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsBronze
- Pair of Italian Gilt Wood Poly Chromed Religous FiguresLocated in Hollywood, SCPair of Italian gilt wood and poly chromed carvings of religious figures of man and woman with child dressed in religious attire.Category
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Religious Items
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Original American Silver-Making Company Is Back in the Spotlight
A new show at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, in Providence, reveals why the various and sundry creations of the Gorham Manufacturing Company still shine.
What Is Ormolu, and Why Are We Talking about It?
This golden material glamorized neoclassical furnishings and transformed upper-crust sitting rooms from France to Philadelphia in the 18th and early 19th centuries.