Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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Gorham - Providence, R.I. - 1975

'CHANTILLY' - 'STRASBOURG' - 'OLD ENGLISH TIPT' - 'FAIRFAX' - 'BUTTERCUP'

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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A salt by Gorham:

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Lion-Anchor-G - STERLING/A2200

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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Gorham - Providence, R.I. - 1927

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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A card tray by Gorham:

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THE BELLMAN

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Lion-Anchor-G - STERLING - ITP

See: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=57040

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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Gorham flatware patterns from 1986:

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Gorham - 1986

'COLONIAL TIPT' - 'GORHAM SHELL' - 'MELON BUD' - 'RIBBON EDGE' - 'NOUVEAU' - 'TRIOGY'

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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A drink's measure by Gorham:

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GORHAM/STERLING/354

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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Gorham patterns from 1975:

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Gorham - 1975

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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CHICAGO

The Gorham Co. has sent out neat announcements of the formal opening of its enlarged and improved showrooms in the Silversmiths’ building, 10 South Wabash Ave. The opening will take place from Sept. 15 to 30. During this period the Gorham Co. will show complete sample lines, including the new patterns and designs for the Fall season. Customers are invited to make the offices of the Gorham Co. their headquarters when in Chicago. The increased space and improved facilities afforded by the new showrooms enables the company to carry a finer and more complete line of samples and stock than heretofore.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 13th September 1911

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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E. Frank Aldrich, of the Gorham Mfg. Co., who, with Mrs. Aldrich, spent six weeks in England, has arrived home.


W. E. Keyes, assistant treasurer of the Gorham Mfg. Co., is spending his vacation, as usual, at Charlestown Lake, Ont., where he is enjoying good fishing.


Edward Holbrook, of the Gorham Mfg. Co., and wife, who have been touring Europe for several weeks, will sail on the St. Louis on Sept. 23 on their return to this country.


With two men disabled, the Gorham team lost the opening game of the New England Association football series at Quincy, Mass., to the Fore River team on Saturday, the score being 7 to 1.


William C. Codman, of the Gorham Mfg. Co., returned last Wednesday to Boston on the Franconia, accompanied by Mrs. Codman, who has been spending the Summer with her daughters in England.



Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 20th September 1911

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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A pedestal bowl by Gorham, assayed at Birmingham in 1909:

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KA401/Rd.546565 - See: https://www.925-1000.com/registry.html

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G·M·Co - Birmingham - 1909

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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The employes of Room M-3, of the Gorham Co., had an enjoyable outing recently, the employes turning out in goodly numbers for the event. There was a fine list of sports arranged, and much interest centered in the struggle for supremacy in the different events. The ball game was won by the silversmiths, who immediately claimed title to hold the championship cup of silver. A clambake was served at 4:30, and there were other features to make the time pass pleasantly. The committee in charge of the event was composed of F. R. Avery, chairman ; W. G. Arnold, secretary, and A. McBeth, treasurer.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 5th September 1906

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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A motion was argued last Friday before Judge Barrett, of the Supreme Court, for the continuance of a temporary injunction recently granted to Lillie J. Earle restraining the Gorham Manufacturing Company and others from foreclosing a mortgage which they hold on the Hotel Normandie as security for goods used in furnishing the New Netherlands Hotel. Decision was reserved.

Source: The Jewelers' Weekly - 16th May 1894

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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Details of Gorham's Bedford pattern:

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The "Bedford," of the Gorham Mfg. Co., has been produced to satisfy the increasing demand for certain pieces of spoon ware, such as tea spoons, sugar spoons, butter knives, cream ladles and sugar sifters, which can be sold by the dealer at a lower price than full lines of standard patterns. The "Bedford" has been produced in a line of each of the foregoing named pieces. The construction of these spoons, etc., is such as to give the requisite strength for serviceable goods and yet be of light or medium weight. The pattern is artistic in design, the outline being original, and the ornamentation containing many elements of beauty.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 18th September 1895


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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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Gorham Manufacturing Company - New York - 1894

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Gorham Manufacturing Company - New York - 1894

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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GORHAM MFG. CO.

The marvelous development of the Gorham Mfg. Co. is a potent illustration of the great results which the economic conditions existing among the industries of New England, combined with the exercise of mechanical skill and the employment of high artistic ideals in the productions may
achieve. Jabez Gorham is generally designated as the father of the business, though to his successors are the great growth of the enterprise and its wide spreading ramifications justly due. Jabez Gorham was born in Providence, R. I., on Feb. 18, 1792, and as a boy was apprenticed to Nehemiah Dodge who began the manufacture of jewelry in 1795. After attaining his majority he with Christopher Burr, William Hadwen, Geo. C. Clark and Henry G. Mumford, formed a partnership which lasted five years when it was dissolved, Mr. Gorham continuing alone. He pursued the manufacture of jewelry until 1831. In that year Mr. Gorham began manufacturing silver spoons, in partnership with Henry L. Webster, of Boston, who was a practical spoon maker. The firm name was Gorham & Webster. They occupied a corner of the lower story of a little building, but the shop was soon increased to include that story. The process of manufacture was extremely crude, two men by hard work being able to make in a day two dozen teaspoons, no two, however, alike in shape or weight. For nine years nothing was made but spoons, thimbles and silver combs and an occasional napkin ring or fork. At 50 years of age Mr. Gorham retired from the business, being succeeded by his son, John. He died suddenly on March 24, 1869, at the age of 77 years.

In 1841 the concern became J. Gorham & Son, composed of Jabez Gorham and his son, John. Mr. Webster at this time returned to Boston, the reorganized firm buying his interest. On the death of his father and on his becoming sole proprietor of the business John Gorham retained the old firm name. In 1850 he determined to take possession of a field of silver manufacture not yet occupied. His business had not been, like that of the silversmiths of New York and Boston, to make spoons and other articles for a retail trade of their own, but to manufacture for the trade. It was his ambition to enter on a large scale into the manufacture of silver goods of every class, whether for ornament and artistic display or combining with these utility for various purposes. To carry out this plan he formed a partnership with Gorham Thurber, under the firm name of Gorham & Thurber. The purpose of the new firm was principally to make hollow ware. The growth of the business soon made it necessary to have a third party interested in it, and Lewis Dexter, Jr. was admitted in 1852, the firm name becoming Gorham & Co.

George Wilkinson, who had learned his trade as a die cutter in Birmingham, England, was engaged in 1854. He had also given some attention to designing and modeling. He soon developed into an accomplished designer and modeler, evincing rare taste, judgment and fertility, and has had
until the present day the superintendence of the designing room. In 1861 about 200 hands were employed. In 1862 Mr. Dexter withdrew from the firm, the name of which remained unchanged. In May, 1863, the Gorham Manufacturing Co. was incorporated, and on Jan. 2, 1865, the charter was accepted. The incorporators were John Gorham, president, and Gorham Thurber, treasurer ; J. F. P. Lawton was secretary. The capital stock was fixed at $300,000, which was increased by act of Legislature in May, 1872, to $600,000, with a limit of $1,200,000, which it subsequently rose to. The business during the next ten years after the incorporation steadily increased, the number of hands employed being 450. The shops and rooms for the various purposes of the business had been multiplied until the buildings occupied covered the whole area bounded by North Main, Steeple, Canal and Friend Sts., except a small building, 60x40 feet, on the corner of North Main and Friend Sts. At the time of the incorporation the superintendent of the works was Henry E. Lathrop, who died in January, 1871, and was succeeded by George Wilkinson.

In 1860, the Gorham Mfg. Co., in conjunction with G. & S. Owen, erected the building, 3, 5 and 7 Maiden Lane, New York. The company had had an office at 4 Maiden Lane. In 1876 the concern had two stores in New York, at 37 Union Square, and in Bond St. In March, 1877, the Bond St. store was destroyed by fire, and the two stores were consolidated at 37 Union Square. The Chicago store was opened in 1882, under the management of E. W. Prentiss. In May, 1884, the New York branch was removed to the magnificent building at 19th St. and Broadway. In 1885 the company leased the store at 9 Maiden Lane, which they continued till May, 1892 when the downtown branch was removed to the Hays building, 21-23 Maiden Lane. Till 1873 the New York retail trade was supplied with Gorham goods through Tiffany & Co.

In January, 1878, Mr. Gorham retired from the office of president of the company, and was succeeded by Wm. Crins, who retains this office at the present day. In 1876 Edward Holbrook became agent, and in 1889 he became treasurer and general manager. It is but justice to say that to this gentleman the proud position which the Gorham Mfg. Co. occupy to-day, is in a great measure due. While the development of the concern up to the last decade partakes almost of the marvelous, the progress during the past 10 years could not have been conceived years ago. Yet this development wonderful as it has been, has not yet reached its limit, for the progress of the Gorham Co. will be limited only by their ingenuity.

In 1887 the land at Elmwood, Providence, on which the present factory stands was bought ; in 1890, the factory was completed. Thirteen acres of land represent the site on which the factory is built, of which about six acres are now occupied by the several buildings. The total floor space is 240,703 square teet, equivalent to about five and a half acres. The average force at work is 1,400 people; the works can accommodate 1,800 persons. The officers of the company are: W. H. Crins, president; Geo. H. Robinson, vice-president; Edward Holbrook, treasurer ; J. F. P. Lawton, secretary; George Wilkinson, superintendent ; Bruce Bonny, New York agent. The capital stock of the company was recently increased $4,200,000, it all being immediately subscribed for. The honors showered on the company by the judges of awards of the World’s Columbian Exposition were but just recognition of the magnificent exhibit which was one of the marvels of the great fair.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 7th February 1894

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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Gorham Manufacturing Company - Providence and New York - 1879

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Gorham Manufacturing Company - Providence and New York - 1879

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Gorham Manufacturing Company - Providence and New York - 1879

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Gorham Manufacturing Company - Providence and New York - 1879

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Gorham Manufacturing Company - Providence and New York - 1879

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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Gorham Mfg. Co. - New York - 1894

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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Gorham - Providence, R.I. - 1956

'CHANTILLY' - 'MELROSE' - 'WILLOW' - 'FAIRFAX' - 'BUTTERCUP' - 'THE NEW CELESTE' - 'RONDO' - 'CAMELLIA'

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Gorham - Providence, R.I. - 1956

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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Gorham Manufacturing Co. - Providence and New York - 1879

'RAPHAEL' - 'HINDOSTANEE' - 'KING'S' - 'SWISS' - 'COTTAGE' - 'NEW TIPT.'

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Re: Snippets of Information Regarding the Gorham Company

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The Gorham Company - New York - 1922

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