posted 10-13-2001 08:51 PM            

This is not a direct answer to your question (I'm no expert on these things), but your question gives me the opportunity to share this wonderful illustration in the catalogue of Gorham's Century Vase and ask if anyone knows where the Century Vase is today?

This is my first stab at posting a picture, so I hope that it works!

posted 10-19-2013 05:43 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by swarter:
These all appear to be library entries.

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posted 12-09-2019 10:06 PM            

quote:

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It has been the aim and object of every leading manufacturing firm in this country to signalize and mark the Centennial year by some supreme effort of industrial art. This specially applies to the honorable brotherhood of workers in silver, and each and every house offers for criticism and admiration some magnificent trophy of the achievements of skilled labor. In such a display one of the first firms to be looked for is the Gorham Company, for this house ranks as the patriarch of the trade, and one is not astonished to find that it is represented at the Centennial by a masterpiece which is unsurpassed in purity of material, in felicity of design and in excellence of finish. The idea of “The Century Vase,” is to present a combined symbolism of the past and present of this country, and in this lofty and ambitious intend Messrs. George Wilkinson and Thomas J. Pairpoint have succeeded wondrous well. The work may be divided into the base with plinth and the vase proper, the former embodying the history of time past, the latter the full fruition of the present day. Following the design from the base upwards we first observe two figures of armed Indian and Pioneer while on either side there stretches away a coping richly ornamented with wild game and fruits on one side and agricultural products on the other. This border encircles the entire and is symbolical of those early days when civilization had as yet scarcely acquired a footing on this continent. Thence there rises an easy sweep of silver to a solid slab of granite emblematic of the security of government, around which are displayed the thirty-eight stars of the United States, thirteen of which, representative of the original colonies, occupy the place of honor along the front of the slab. On the left hand side Bellona with angry torch in hand bounds on the cruel dogs of civil war amid the debris of the battle ground while on the right the lion led by gentle children among music and flowers, denotes the return of peace and security. These groups are worthy of special attention for each is of admirable spirit. In the centre, the outcome of events, rises the calm solid plinth set on either side with massive bison heads and decorated with two medallions in bas-relief, one depicting the Genius of Philosophy presenting a portrait of Franklin superintending the operations of the printing press, while in front the Angel of Fame bears aloft the portrait of Washington to eternal glory. From the summit of the plinth the shank of the vase rises until the two panels of the body are reached. One represents Genius ready to record the progress made in literature, science, music, painting, sculpture and architecture, while on the reverse is indicated the advancement in commerce, agriculture, mining and manufactures. The summit of the vase is occupied by a statuette group representing America, inviting and welcoming all nations to unite in the celebration of the Centennial year, while around the central figure stand representatives of Europe, Asia and Africa, each bringing in their contributions to the Exhibition. It is impossible to give our readers a correct idea of the many excellencies and beauties of “The Century Vase,” by a mere description, but we have no doubt that many have seen and admired it during their stay at Philadelphia. There can be no question but that it is one of the leading features of the Exhibition and will still be so when, after the lapse of another hundred years, it will be again set forth by the Gorham Company in 1976.

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