Questions re: remarkable Gorham design

[Jazzman111]

I recently picked up this fruit knife with an amazingly detailed--and dramatic--design. Since I'm relatively new to collecting these knives, I wonder if someone could educate me on some things about it. It shows what seems to be a bearded man aboard a one horse open sleigh apparently being followed by a pack of three wolves in hot pursuit. The driver is leaning forward intensely, holding tight to the reigns in his right hand and cracking a whip with his left hand. The cargo is a large barrel (beer?)
1-How was this scale made? It has such incredible detail in the design, could casting accomplish that?
2-Internet sources say that the hallmarks show that the knife was made by Gorham in the period of 1863-1890. Was this type of dramatic design very common?
3-Does anyone know anything about the origin of the image in history or literature?

[dognose]

Hi,

If you enter 'Russian sleigh chased by wolves' into Google Images, you get an extraordinary amount of returns on the subject. It seems sleighs being attacked by wolves in Russia was a real problem.

Perhaps a knife made for export? Or perhaps for Russian emigres in the States?

Trev.

[Aguest]

Gorham made a similar image in their "North Pole Expedition" spoon:





As far as the detail, Gorham either "die stamped" their spoons or "cast" their spoons, and sometimes spoons were die cast with partially-cast elements, but if I had to guess, I would think your knife was made by a skilled artist carving a very detailed and intricate die, and then the silver metal was placed on top of that die, and then a stamping machine created the image with a lot of force....

I love Gorham flatware because of all the tiny details contained in them, they are works of art.

[Jazzman111]

Fascinating. Looks like the "wolves" on my knife scale have been repurposed as sled dogs on your spoon. Thanks very much for your insights.