Gorham Sterling Neoclassical Handled Basket Centerpiece
$3995
An oustanding sterling silver centerpiece basket by Gorham. The sides and handle are decorated with extremely ornate bright-cut engraving in a swirling foliate pattern. The motif is repeated to great effect in the gilt feet that raise up the basket. The intersection of the handle and feet is finished with an applied classical lion mask. The surfaces are finished in an acid-finished matte texture. The reeded border and the feet are enhanced with matte gilding, while the interior is finished with highly polished gilding. The centerpiece is an excellent example of Gorham's work for an elite market in the years immediately following the Civil War. The bottom is stamped with Gorham's hallmark, the date mark for 1871, and with Gorham's retail location at Union Square in New York.
An oustanding sterling silver centerpiece basket by Gorham. The sides and handle are decorated with extremely ornate bright-cut engraving in a swirling foliate pattern. The motif is repeated to great effect in the gilt feet that raise up the basket. The intersection of the handle and feet is finished with an applied classical lion mask. The surfaces are finished in an acid-finished matte texture. The reeded border and the feet are enhanced with matte gilding, while the interior is finished with highly polished gilding. The centerpiece is an excellent example of Gorham's work for an elite market in the years immediately following the Civil War. The bottom is stamped with Gorham's hallmark, the date mark for 1871, and with Gorham's retail location at Union Square in New York.
Origin: America, 1871. Condition: very good, the interior has some small dings and light wear to the gilding visible in raking light only when the centerpiece is empty. Weight: 737.0 grams. Size: 7-1/4" x 10-1/4" x 8-1/4" tall.
