Gorham Silver Exhibit at RISD
September 21, 2019
Text by Lisa H. Speidel
At one time, Providenceâs Gorham Silver was the largest silver manufactory in the world. The tiny company that could, founded in 1831, grew to have quite the storied portfolioâand list of patrons. Among many pieces that sparkled and shone, there was the tea service Mary Todd Lincoln purchased for the White House; the solid-silver bench and dressing table that graced the 1900 Worldâs Fair in Paris; and the companyâs largest commission: the grand mid-1870s Furber collection, an 816-piece serving set made to accommodate a dinner party for twenty-four.
To commemorate Gorhamâs illustrious past, the Rhode Island School of Design Museum has curated a comprehensive exhibit, Gorham Silver: Designing Brilliance 1850â1970, that chronicles the companyâs dominance in the industry. The exhibit explores Gorhamâs influence on manufacturing (at its height it had a thirty-five-acre facility that employed some 3,000 people), design (the company was known to followâand influenceâthe latest trends), and marketing (it was the first to photograph its products for promotional purposes), as well as how the firm helped shape societal and cultural shifts.
The exhibit, which showcases some 600 stunning silver and mixed-metal pieces and is curated by Elizabeth A. Williams, was an impressive undertaking. Once the selections were finalized, it took a team of ninety-five trained volunteers three years to polish the wares to their original splendorâthe finishing touch on an exhibit that beautifully reflects Gorhamâs proud history.
On view through December 1, risdmuseum.org
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