Gorham Gilt Sterling Silver 4-Piece Demitasse Coffee Set in Old Masters Pattern Circa 1885

Rare Gorham gilt sterling silver 4-piece demitasse set, in Old Masters pattern. This set was a special order and was made circa 1885/1890. Beautifully crafted with floral and other motifs and in crisp condition, it consists of:

a tray measuring 21 1/2'' from handle to handle (18 1/2'' excluding the handles) by 14 3/4'' in depth by 2 1/3'' in height

a coffee pot measuring 12 1/2'' in height by 8'' from handle to spout

a creamer measuring 5 1/2'' in height by 4'' from handle to spout

a two-handled sugar bowl measuring 6 1/3'' from handle to handle by 3 1/2'' in height

Total weight is an impressive 137.8 troy ounces. Hallmarks (including the retail mark of Theodore B. Starr) are shown. 

During the heyday of American silver manufacturing–approximately 1850 to 1940–Gorham was one of the most influential. 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. 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 was designed for Admiral George Dewey. Colonel Henry Jewett Furber 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. Gorham artisans also sculpted the famous monument of George Washington in the Capitol's Rotunda.

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