AN AMERICAN SILVER CENTERPIECE DISH

The present lot is a unique example of Gorham’s early adoption of Japanese principles of design. While the tripartite base and form recall the typical Neo-Classical design, the interchange of certain decorative elements shows the marked transition into the celebrated "Japanesque" halloware produced in the later 1870’s and 1880’s. The supports, usually in the form of classically draped women, are replaced with women in Japanese kimono. The standard die-roll bands incorporate Japanese flowering trees and idyllic landscapes, likely inspired by the Japanese woodblock prints that were known to be on hand in the Gorham manufactory.