Glorious America: The Wolf Family Collection
Glorious America: The Wolf Family Collection
An American Silver 'Martelé' Fish Slice and Fork, Gorham Mfg. Co., Providence, Rhode Island, 1913
No reserve
Auction Closed
April 20, 09:25 PM GMT
Estimate
1,500 - 2,500 USD
Lot Details
Description
AN AMERICAN SILVER 'MARTELÉ' FISH SLICE AND FORK, Gorham Mfg. Co., Providence, Rhode Island, 1913
En suite with the preceding, each of serpentine outline, with hammer-marked surface chased with floral decoration, with initials MMG, marked on backs, coded on sides of handles A/MW and A/MX
12 in. (30.5 cm.) long (slice)
12 oz. (373 g.)
Wolf Family Collection No. 0578 (acquired from the above)
These fish servers were part of a 30-piece fish set, coded A/MT to A/NA. The other items were a fish platter (lot 534), a sauce boat, tray, and ladle, and 12 each of individual fish knives and forks.
The slice was formed over 4 1/4 hours and the fork over 1 1/4, then both were chased by Henry Brooks, for 9 and 8 hours respectively. The English-born Brooks had been hired by Gorham in 1887, aged just 20. He earned a salary of $24 a week, and also played on the Gorham Company football team. A long-time employee, he was pensioned off in 1932.
The net factory prices for the fish servers came to $21 and $15, and they were finished September 4, 1913 (Pristo, op. cit)