The
Gorham Manufacturing Company is one of the largest American
manufacturers of sterling silver. Gorham Silver was founded in 1831 by Jabez
Gorham in partnership with Henry L. Webster.
William C. Codman, one of Gorham's most noted
designers, created the
Chantilly design in 1895, which has become the
most famous of Gorham's flatware patterns. The company has produced matching
holloware in both sterling and silverplate.
The White
House has used Gorham silver services during many administrations.
Mary Todd Lincoln purchased an impressive tea
and flatware service for use in the White House in 1859. The tea service was
presented to the National Museum of American History in 1957.
Mrs.
Ulysses S. Grant asked Gorham to commemorate the country's one-hundredth
anniversary with a spectacular Century Vase that contained over 2,000 oz
(57,000 g) of sterling silver, and in 1899, it produced a grand "loving cup",
composed of 70,000 dimes designed for Admiral George Dewey.
Colonel Henry Jewett Furber,
president of Universal Life Insurance Company of New York, placed the largest single commission
Gorham ever received for what became known as the famous Furber service. The
opulent 740-piece service represents Victorian era dining at its most elaborate. The monumental silver and
parcel-gilt "Neptune" epergne made for Furber as part of this service was
displayed at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876.
In 1907, Gorham created an elaborate silver service for the battleship
USS
Rhode Island. When the Rhode Island was decommissioned following WWI,
the US Navy returned the service to the State for public display.
The George W. Bush family chose Gorham's
Chantilly as the flatware
service on Air Force One.
Read the full history of Gorham at Wikipedia
by clicking here.