Martelé Wine Pitcher
Gorham Manufacturing Company (American, established 1831), manufacturer
William Christmas Codman (American, 1839-1921), design supervisor
J. Hoare and Company, Corning, NY, 1868-1921, glass engravers
Edward Zio (American, 1868-1927), chasing
Details
Title
Martelé Wine Pitcher
Artist/Maker
Gorham Manufacturing Company (American, established 1831), manufacturer
William Christmas Codman (American, 1839-1921), design supervisor
J. Hoare and Company, Corning, NY, 1868-1921, glass engravers
Edward Zio (American, 1868-1927), chasing
Date
1900
Medium
Silver and engraved lead glass
Dimensions
Contact the museum for more information
Credit
Virginia Carroll Crawford Collection
Accession #
1982.306
Location
Currently not on view
This decanter was among the American works unveiled to great acclaim at the Paris Exposition of 1900. It belongs to a line of hand-formed and decorated silver called martelé (French for “hammered”) that the Gorham Manufacturing Company developed in the Art Nouveau style. This “new art” rejected classical decoration in favor of flowing, sinewy, organic forms. American makers such as Gorham found success with objects in this style, directly competing with and, in the case of silver, often surpassing their European competitors.