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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 A Curator's Viewpoint
 Oldest American Silver
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| Author | Topic: Oldest American Silver |
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Bettendorf Posts: 4 |
posted 06-24-2002 04:36 PM
  
Greetings! Does anyone know which is the oldest American Silver company? Just curious. We all think of Revere, etc. but which is the recognized oldest American company? Thanks! IP: Logged |
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Ulysses Dietz Moderator Posts: 1265 |
posted 06-24-2002 04:43 PM
The oldest American silver company is the one with the best advertising agency. Ha ha. Seriously, folks, it depends on what you mean by "company" and "oldest." Oldest surviving? The first silversmiths in America (hence, the first "company") were Hull & Sanderson, who made silver in Boston in the 1650s. Gorham, starting with the spoonmaking of its founder, dates to 1831. Tiffany, even if we only look at its retail beginnings, only goes to 1837. But Samuel Kirk (& sons) predates both of them. I don't think any surviving silver brand name (Revere has nothing to do with Paul Revere, except in that it stole his name to promote kitchen pots) is earlier than Kirk... Any discussion out there? IP: Logged |
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Bettendorf Posts: 4 |
posted 06-26-2002 01:16 AM
Thanks for the information. As a curator, do you also have interest in glass with silver overlays (vases, candy dishes and the like)? Or are you interested in "just" silver? There is so much to learn. It is a wonder anyone can become an expert in the field! IP: Logged |
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Ulysses Dietz Moderator Posts: 1265 |
posted 06-26-2002 08:42 AM
Being an "expert" is merely lessening the amount you don't know, and knowing how much you still don't know. I am a curator of all decorative arts, including porcelain and glass with silver overlay. Silver depost was a process developed in Irvington, NJ, in 1886 by the Alvin Mfg. Co, which moved to Newark, then to Sag Harbor, NY, and was eventually bought out by Gorham. We have a number of pieces of silver deposit on glass and on porcelain, by Gorham, by Alvin (from its Newark years), by LaPierre (another Newark firm) by Rockwell Silver (a Meriden, CT firm) and by various unknown "overlayers". The Minneapolis Institute of Art did an exhibition and catalogue a decade ago called "Sumptuous Surrounds," curated by Jayne Stokes (now at the RISD Museum in Providence, RI). If you can locate that little catalogue, it's a great start. IP: Logged |
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