Special Features

By the 1880's American culture had entered a period where there was a separate utensil for every possible thing you could eat and the refrigerated box car would soon make an appearance allowing the population to enjoy salad. Our place setting is finally completed with a genuine knife of the pattern and a flat butter spreader (the third fork is actually a fish fork). This is clearly documented in the Gorham 1888 Catalog, now available in reprint (2). Old Medici is a great example of figural pattern showing images of people and scenes, and there are collectors who specialize just in the many figurals. Truly at this period flatware had become a true art form. Figurals place a great importance on condition because of the fine details there is a tremendous difference in the beauty of pristine as compared to worn examples. It is a multi-motif pattern having a different scene on each piece.

   click on image to enlarge

Dating

Like many Gorham patterns Old Medici was made actively for decades and then supported on a made to order basis, so it is not possible to date any particular piece with complete accuracy. Turner does not show it to be obsolete by 1929. While it was not actively in production in recent years it has been brought back in the Gorham revival series, new pieces actually bare the "Gorham" imprint rather than the classic symbolic Bull Anchor G. Pieces bearing the word "copyrighted" are felt to be the oldest and made before 1900 as according to the law of that time there was little reason to continue that imprint after 14 years passed.

Pieces Available

Size  My Cost   Notes Teaspoon 5 7/8" $25.00 Oval Soup 7" $50.00 Coffee Spoon 4 1/4" $18.00 Dinner Knife 10 1/2" $85.00 Dinner Fork 7 3/4" $45.00 Luncheon Fork 6 7/8" $30.00 Salad Fork We don't have one. Flat Butter Spreader 5 3/8" $46.00 Fish fork 6 7/8" $109.00 is shown in the photo. Tablespoons were probably used only for serving.

click on image to enlarge

The dinner knife and salad fork are the most difficult. Fish forks are an easier substitution and are only a little larger. Knives with original blades will be imprinted "Gorham Mfg. Co." The flat butter is somewhat of a challenge.

Comments

Because of the delicate pattern, pieces are easily worn and the collector should hold out for near perfect pieces. Hagan rates Old Medici as an "O" pattern for old collectible. This means that it is plentiful enough to hope to complete a service. This was one of the first sets we collected. Prices are about 3 years old and are probably higher now.