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Vintage Gorham silver plated 12in. serving tray is in
great used condition. Some silver plating loss
apparent. Marked on the back Newport silver plated
YB512. Newport is the pattern name. Very lovely
detailed trim around the tray. Gorham silver plated tray
measures 12 around the tray. I will polish up again
upon purchase of the item.
This is a GORHAM piece starting in 1865 in
Providence, RI USA. Newport is the pattern of this
silver serving tray.
History of Gorham Silver Company
Gorham silver was founded in Providence, Rhode Island in
1831 by Jabez Gorham, a master craftsman, in partnership
with Henry L. Webster. The firm's chief product was spoons
of coin silver. The company also made thimbles, combs,
jewelry, and other small items. In 1842, a tariff which
effectively blocked the importation of silverware from
outside the United States was passed, which aided the
American silver industry. Jabez Gorham did not take full
advantage of this opportunity, but in 1847 Jabez retired
and his son, John Gorham, succeeded him as head of the
company. John Gorham introduced mechanized production
methods, enlarged the premises in downtown Providence,
improved the designs, and expanded the product line. In
1852 Gorham toured many of Europe's silver workshops
and manufacturers, speaking with individual specialists,
including master craftsmen and toolmakers. He also
sought out highly skilled foreign workmen to train his
American workers. George Wilkinson, a premier designer
and workshop manager, was hired from England.
During the heyday of American silver manufacturing,
approximately 1850 - 1940, Gorham was highly influential.
In 1865 a charter was granted by the Rhode Island
legislature by the name of "Gorham Manufacturing
Company".
In 1890 the company relocated to a factory on Adelaide
Avenue in Providence.
In 1895 the famed Gorham designer, William C. Codman,
designed Chantilly, which has become the most famous of
Gorham's flatware patterns. Matching holloware has been
made in both sterling and silverplate.
In 1905 the firm opened a show and sales office on Fifth
Avenue in New York City, which was designed for Gorham
by renowned architect Stanford White.
The company was purchased by Textron in 1967, a move
that some critics claim decreased quality due to
management's lack of understanding of Gorham's
specialty, producing high-quality sterling silverware and
holloware.
Gorham was owned by Brown-Forman Corporation from
1991 to 2005 until it was sold to Department 56 in the Lenox
holdings transaction.
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