posted 12-15-2007 08:27 PM            

Hello all,

Here is a fascinating bit of modern design from Gorham, circa 1930s. This sterling salad set is large, quite heavy, apparently hand-wrought,and very evocative of Danish designs of the period. Danish designer Erik Magnussen was working at Gorham at this time, and is is likely that he had some hand in this production. Magnussen produced a fair amount of objects at Gorham, most of them in limited quantities. As mentioned, this piece appears to be handwrought, with light hammer marks and the irregularities you only find in hand-made objects. Perhaps this was a prototype for a product line that never got off the ground? The design could have been produced in quantity, as Jensen mass-produced a lot of silver with similar hand detailing.

Regardless, a really fine example of American modernism!

posted 12-16-2007 11:42 AM            

Thanks for the input! Nice to know that there are more out there. I wonder if they made any other pieces.

Most of the turn-of the-century Gorham H series pieces were indeed cast in thick gauge. However, not all were, as many of Gorham's die-struck souvenir spoons were given an H designation. Looking carefully at my set, and flexing the tines, I still think this set was at least die rolled and hand finished, rather than cast. There are faint hammer marks of varying sizes over the entire pieces, though they are more apparent on the backs. The loops would be pretty weak as well if they were cast. They could have started with a die rolled blank, fashioned the loop and hammered it for effect. I still lean towards hand wrought, though.

Thanks again, and please let me know if you see any other pieces!

Brent