Need Help on Arctic Ice Bucket

[laura9797]

I am cataloging an usual sterling and sand blasted oval ice bucket and am stumped on the marks. It is a piece that is after the Gorham sterling Exploration oval ice bucket The marks are GG & JG with an arm holding a hammer. There is another mark with the same initials and just a hammer. I am assuming this is arts & crafts.

[dognose]

Hi Laura,

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[laura9797]

[laura9797]

[Traintime]

As I understand this, Gorham traces their lion/anchor/G marks back to 1848. Should not the G be enclosed in a six sided mark rather than a round one? The anchor seems to always be present for items with Sterling standard (.925): mark and standard adopted in 1868 when coin was dropped. The lion seems to go in and out of marks. The hammer does not correspond to dates marks used between 1868 and 1931, so might mean handworked by initials shown or designed by them. Now, Jabez Gorham retired in 1847 but his son John Gorham continued on (JG?). The (hard to read) G standing alone seems to be problematic but could narrow down the possibilities. Beautiful piece at any rate!

[laura9797]

Yes I am not assuming this is Gorham piece but made by a silversmith who "copied" the Gorham Polar Exploration.

[Traintime]

Would the mark for Gilbertson & Son Chicago (1920's) work. Looks like they might have been full smiths rather than just platers. At any rate, don't write yours off as the "copied from " piece, it could pre-date the Gorham.

[laura9797]

I am not seeing any marks for Gilbertson & Sons? I did find a website and they do silver repair. I will try to contact them and send them a photo but they have only been in business since 1915?

[Traintime]

Gilbert & Son mark is in Raintree reference. To wit, circular block G surrounding S with small ampersand (&) superimposed at half size of S. Your mark looks possible from what I can see in photo. Perhaps a close-up shot might clarify. A search of their names in Chicago area history might match up to initials.

[laura9797]

[Traintime]

Thank you, very clear. Marks don't match. Did find O. Gilbertson listed as Chicago silver firm employee in accounts. Seems to be a family firm. No identity for initials here. Firm goes back to early century, 1906?, and were smiths who also did repairs and plating. Firm sold in recent years. Hope you find your people whoever they are.

[laura9797]

Just wanted to update everybody that this was custom piece manufactured by a local silversmith here in Atlanta.


Gia Gogishvili, owner and master silversmith of Atlanta-based Estes-Simmons Silversmiths, Inc., began his career at the age of 14 when he entered Tbilisi M. Toidze Art College. He continued his education at Moscow National Art University in 1985 where he participated in restorational workshops at the Moscow and Leningrad Art Museums. He did personal exhibitions in 1985 and 1988. In 1988 he exhibited 300 of his pieces in two months. From there, the Union of the Artists of the Republic of Georgia (Gogishvili’s home) chose him to participate in the 1991 Georgia-to-Georgia Festival in Atlanta. Richard Mafong from Georgia State University’s School of Art and Design hosted this. He worked directly with students to further develop their metal work skills. In 1992, he began working with expert silversmith Dawson Childress who had more than 55 years of experience with the company. In 2006, Gogishvili accepted an opportunity to purchase Estes-Simmons Silverplating, Ltd. from long-time mentor, Mark Antebi.

His father, Jemal, who is an artist in jewelry and metals and a silversmith in the Republic of Georgia, inspired Gogishvili. His grandfather, Vano, was a blacksmith.

Source: Estes-Simmons Silversmiths, Inc.

(admin edit - see Posting Requirements )

[asheland]

Interesting piece!

[dognose]

Luckily, as the piece was so interesting, I retained copies of them. Here are the missing images:











Trev.