Pair of Frank Smith Sterling Silver Bowls in Art Nouveau Style from Early 20th Century

Pair of Frank Smith sterling silver bowls in Art Nouveau style, from the early 20th century, richly adorned with pierced and engraved floral and curvilinear motifs. They measure 14 1/2'' by 12 1/4'' by 3 3/4'' in height, weigh 58.1 troy ounces, and bear hallmarks as shown. 

Frank W. Smith was trained as a silversmith by his uncle, William Durgin. William B. Durgin Company (1853 - 1924) was a noted American sterling silver manufacturer based in Concord, New Hampshire, and one of the largest flatware and hollowware manufacturers in the United States. The Durgin company made the Davis Cup, the silver service for the battleship USS New Hampshire, and medals for St. Paul's School. Its Fairfax flatware was for some years the best-selling pattern in the United States. Durgin’s masterful silver is displayed in major museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. 

After training with his uncle, Frank W. Smith opened his own shop in 1886, making sterling silver flatware. His business grew rapidly, and the factory was completed in 1892. Smith hired Arthur J. Stone, a Scottish silversmith, as a lead designer and supervisor, and also began producing handcrafted products as well as machine-made ones. During the course of its history the company’s silver services became the possession of notable individuals such as Princess Grace of Monaco and Queen Elizabeth II of England. The business continued under a succession of owners until 1958.

Please feel free to ask us any questions, and please see our other listings. NO published price will beat ours. We hand polish all items before shipping them out, but if there is interest for a professional polishing and/or engraving removal, we can take care of that for an additional charge and with delayed shipping.