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.
Buttercup by Gorham Sterling Silver Flatware Set for 12 Service 123 Pcs Dinner
By Gorham
Located in Big Bend, WI
Intricately carved floral motifs carefully arranged along the handle and by the neck of this fanciful pattern are balanced by a slender central panel edged with delicate borders. Int...
Sterling Silver
Buttercup by Gorham Sterling Silver Dinner Flatware Set For 18 Service 133 Pcs
By Gorham Manufacturing Company
Located in Big Bend, WI
Intricately carved floral motifs carefully arranged along the handle and by the neck of this fanciful pattern are balanced by a slender central panel edged with delicate borders. Int...
Sterling Silver
Buttercup Gorham Sterling Silver Set 8 Silverware Service Place Size 32 Pcs New
By Gorham Manufacturing Company
Located in Big Bend, WI
New, unused Buttercup by Gorham sterling silver place size flatware set, 32 pieces. This set includes: Eight place size knives, 9 1/4". Eight place size forks, 7 1/2". Eight place s...
Sterling Silver
Buttercup by Gorham Sterling Silver Flatware Set 12 Service 96 Pc Dinner Unused
By Gorham
Located in Big Bend, WI
Intricately carved floral motifs carefully arranged along the handle and by the neck of this fanciful pattern are balanced by a slender central panel edged with delicate borders. Int...
Sterling Silver
Buttercup by Gorham Sterling Silver 12 Service Flatware Set Place Size 113 Pcs
By Gorham Manufacturing Company
Located in Big Bend, WI
Monumental place size Buttercup by Gorham sterling silver flatware set - 113 pieces. This set includes: 12 place size knives, 9", 12 place size forks, 7 1/2", 12 salad forks, 6 1...
Sterling Silver
Buttercup by Gorham Sterling Silver Flatware Set for Eight Service 59 Pcs
By Gorham Manufacturing Company
Located in Big Bend, WI
Buttercup by Gorham sterling silver flatware set - 59 pieces. This set includes: Eight knives, 8 3/4" Eight forks, 7"...
Sterling Silver
Watson Wallace Meadow Rose 925 Sterling Silver Flatware Set 77 Pc Dinner Setting
By Wallace Silversmiths
Located in Greer, SC
Stunning Meadow Rose by Watson / Wallace sterling silver flatware set, 77 pieces total (no box). Great condition, with no monograms. This set includes: 12 Knives 4 Tablespoons 18 Te...
Sterling Silver
Extensive Gorham Sterling Silver Three-Hundred Twenty-Two Piece Flatware Service
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Extensive Gorham Sterling Silver Three-Hundred Twenty-Two Piece Flatware Service, Buckingham Pattern. Marked. Assembled, some with the etched initial M. Comprising, 24 dinner kniv...
Silver
Antique Tiffany Renaissance Sterling Silver Dinner Set for 12
By Tiffany & Co., Paulding Farnham.
Located in New York, NY
Renaissance sterling silver dinner set. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1910. This set comprises 156 pieces (dimensions in inches): Forks: 12 dinner forks (8), 12 salad fo...
Sterling Silver
Gorham Sterling Silver Thirty-Six Piece Part Flatware Service
By Gorham
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Gorham Sterling Silver Thirty-Six Piece Part Flatware Service Marked, in the Etruscan Pattern, most monogramed with a Y. Comprising, seven dinner forks, eight salad forks, twelve bu...
Silver
Victorian Sterling Silver Flatware Set by Mappin Brothers
By Mappin Brothers
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Victorian sterling silver flatware service for twelve persons; an addition to our diverse silver cutlery collection. The pieces of this exceptional antique Victorian sterling silver flatware service for twelve persons have been crafted in an Empire Revival style pattern. The anterior surface of each handle is embellished with a ribbon tied floral tassel terminating with a crossed torch of love and a quiver of arrows. The posterior surface is ornamented with a tied laurel wreath bordered vacant cartouche below a foliate decorated pensile drop. The surfaces of each piece further incorporate a textured finish, with scrolling leaf decorated terminals, a quatrefoil foliate rosette to the stem and a waisted bead bordered knop to the upper portion. Each spoon and fork is further embellished to the reverse with an impressive leaf decorated heel to the bowl and drop. This impressive straight* service consists of 73 pieces: Basic Service 12 Table forks 12 Table spoons 12 Dessert forks 12 Dessert spoons 12 Teaspoons 6 Coffee spoons Additional Pieces Gravy spoon Serving knife 4 Salt spoon Mustard spoon Each item of this impressive and very rare Victorian silver canteen has been crafted by the renowned silversmiths Mappin Brothers in 1899. The anterior surface of each coffee, salt and mustard spoon retains the original gilding to the bowls. This flatware service can be purchased with knives if so desired, due to the rarity of the pattern matching knives are not available but an alternative pattern can be arranged; for further information please contact Andrew Campbell directly. This antique sterling silver cutlery set...
Sterling Silver
Edwardian "Regent" 16 piece Fork/Knife Silver Plate Silverware Set by Gorham
Located in Van Nuys, CA
The Regent pattern is known for its elegant and classic design, often featuring intricate detailing that reflects the refinement and sophistication characteristic of Gorham’s craftsm...
Silver Plate
