Gorham Manufacturing Company

By the end of the 19th century, Gorham is believed to have been the world's largest manufacturer of silverware. The company also produced jewelry, which today is far more rare than its silver. Because RISD has extensive holdings of Gorham silver but not a single example of Gorham jewelry, it made perfect sense to acquire this pendant at auction in New York. The combination of materials and flowing lines recalls designs by René Lalique and other French designers working in the Art Nouveau style, the height of fashion at the turn of the century.