Gorham Sterling Silver Flatware Service, 705 Pieces

Sterling Silver Flatware Service for 18 Gorham Circa 1888 This monumental American sterling silver flatware service by Gorham epitomizes the stately glamour of turn-of-the-century dining. A total of 705 pieces in the beloved Versailles pattern comprise this extraordinary service. From the multitudinous teaspoons to the servers and dinner knives, the flatware’s intricate Victorian design incorporates both Rococo and neoclassical elements, emulating the timeless luxury of Louis XIV of France's Palace of Versailles. The Gorham Manufacturing Company, founded in Providence, Rhode Island in 1831, would become one of America's largest producers of sterling silver and silverplate, as well as a foundry for bronze sculpture. Among the most recognized and coveted patterns in the world, the Versailles pattern was created and patented in 1888 by Gorham’s chief designer Antoine Heller, who was highly influenced by neoclassical artist Jean-Léon Gérôme. Hired by Gorham in 1881, he set about sculptin