Where is Gorham Silver made?
Gorham Manufacturing Company's Works. Gorham Silver was founded in Providence, Rhode Island, 1831 by Jabez Gorham, a master craftsman, in partnership with Henry L. Webster.
What is the history of the Gorham Company?
In 1865, the Rhode Island legislature granted a charter in the name of Gorham Manufacturing Company and in 1890, the company relocated to a factory on Adelaide Avenue in Providence. During the heyday of American silver manufacturing, approximately 1850–1940, Gorham was highly influential.
What happened to Gorham jewelry?
In 1924, the company absorbed the Massachusetts jewelry company Whiting Manufacturing Company, founded by William Dean Whiting in 1866. Textron purchased the company in 1967, a move that some critics claim decreased quality due to management's lack of understanding of Gorham's specialty, producing high-quality sterling silverware and holloware.
How many Gorham sculptures are there?
More than 700 Gorham sculptures are listed in the Smithsonian inventory alone. The Great Depression was not kind to Gorham as production came to a standstill. The company had to lay off many workers but it did its best to keep the artisans employed as long as possible.
Where are Gorham products made?
But for nearly 160 years, the Gorham Manufacturing Company, of Providence, Rhode Island, turned out a wide range of beautiful silver pieces, indelibly influencing the field of decorative arts in ways that still resonate.
Is Gorham crystal still in business?
Gorham ceased operating as an independent business and the new owners started reducing the quality of Gorham's traditionally high-end products in an attempt to regain marketshare, an attempt that was ultimately unsuccessful.
Who owns the Gorham Company?
Brown-Forman Corporation acquired Gorham from Dansk in 1991. The unit was sold in 2005 to Department 56 in the Lenox holdings transaction, with the resulting company renamed as Lenox Group.
When did Gorham go out of business?
By the midpoint of the century, though, America's love of silver began to wane, and in 1967 Gorham was sold to Textron, a Providence-based industrial conglomerate. A merger with Lenox Holdings in 2005 would signal Gorham's downfall (Lenox would go bankrupt only four years later).
Is Gorham crystal marked?
You can see many of their marks at the Glass Lovers Glass Database. Gorham was founded in Rhode Island in 1831, and although it established itself as a silverware company, it also produces china and stemware and is sought after by collectors. Pieces may be marked with labels or stamps.
Did Lenox buy Gorham?
The company has changed hands several times throughout its history. Today, it is owned by the Lenox Corporation and called the Gorham Manufacturing Company.
How is Gorham silver marked?
In 1848, Gorham silver marks consisted of a lion, anchor, and the letter “G.” Then, from 1848 through about 1860, the lion marking faced left, but instead of their previous direction, facing right. Sterling tea sets and some other hollowware items manufactured by Gorham, were assigned numbers in a decimal sequence.
What does Gorham mean?
Meaning:village near the wedge-shaped piece of land.
Is Gorham real silver?
While Jabez Gorham and Henry Webster produced the first pieces from coin-silver in 1831, some people choose to concentrate on the period after designer William J. Codman joined the company in 1891. Most of those pieces were made from sterling silver.
How do you clean Gorham sterling?
0:271:33How to Clean Sterling Silver Effortlessly - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipClean pieces with crevasses and designs with a toothbrush. And toothpaste before placing in the dishMoreClean pieces with crevasses and designs with a toothbrush. And toothpaste before placing in the dish. Step 3 sprinkle one heaping tablespoon of baking soda evenly over the silver.
When was Gorham Chantilly made?
1895First made in 1895, Chantilly is the most popular sterling silverware pattern of the 20th Century, and has a wide variety of pieces available.
Is silver plated worth anything?
Silver is a valuable metal that has a long-lasting intrinsic value. Therefore, you can melt it down and sell it depending on the metal market. On the contrary, silver-plated items are only worth what the buyer has to offer. Unlike silver that has a melting value, silverplate doesn't.
Where was Gorham Manufacturing Company founded?
The Gorham Manufacturing Company was founded in 1831 in Providence, Rhode Island, by Jabez Gorham silversmiths of the 19th century.
When did Textron buy Gorham?
The end came in 1967 when Textron purchased the Gorham Manufacturing Company.
How many awards did Gorham win at the Columbian Exposition?
At the Columbian Exposition alone Gorham won 47 prizes for excellence. Since 1860 Gorham had tried to expand into other metals as well but customers refused to pay a Gorham premium for flatware produced in baser metals.
Who was the head of the Providence silver flatware company?
In 1848 Gorham's son John took over as the head of the company. He was determined to grow the company and and Henry L. Webster. Gorham had apprenticed with Nehemiah Dodge, one of Providence's most respected traveled to England to purchase the first steam-powered drop press that was used in the United States to produce silver flatware.
Who outsourced all of Tiffany's silverware production to?
Such was Gorham's expertise and dominance in the marketplace that even Tiffany & Co. outsourced all its silverware production to Gorham. Between the years of 1879 and 1893 Gorham had displays at every International Fair where they won both public accolades and prizes.
Did Gorham make hollowware?
The company had to lay off many workers but it did its best to keep the artisans employed as long as possible. Gorham initiated an effort to produce hundreds of examples of 19th century hollowware from the original dies.
