| In the 1870s and 1880s, Gorham produced sets of engraving-enhanced coffee spoons of which each single spoon differed from the others in some way, yet an overarching aesthetic united each set. Some sets were comprised of several different patterns (generally 1860s and 1870s patterns such as Martha Washington, Palm, Kensington, etc.), all featuring bowls engraved in the Japanese style. Other sets were made of spoons with the same handle shape (such as Pointed Antique), each engraved with a similar but distinct Japanesque design. Based on the sets I have seen, they all feature insects in minor roles. The set pictured above is comprised of a dozen spoons in the old-fashioned Pointed Antique pattern, but each is completely engraved with a different parcel-gilt Japanese-style motif. Two spoons feature an insect motif. One features a dragonfly on the handle, while the other depicts a moth in its bowl. |
