Gorham Silver was founded in Providence, Rhode Island 1831 by Jabez Gorham, in partnership with Henry L. Webster. The firm's chief product was spoons of coin silver. The company also made thimbles, combs, jewelry, and other small items. In 1842, a tariff which effectively blocked the importation of silverware from outside the United States was passed, which aided the American silver industry.
In 1847 Jabez retired and his son, John Gorham succeeded him as head of the company. John Gorham introduced mechanized production methods, enlarged the premises in downtown Providence, changed the designs, and expanded the product line. In 1852 Gorham toured many of Europe's silver workshops and manufacturers, speaking with individual specialists, including master craftsmen and toolmakers. He also sought out highly skilled foreign workmen to train his American workers. George Wilkinson, a premier designer and workshop manager, was hired from England. In 1865 a charter was granted by the Rhode Island legislature by the name of "Gorham Manufacturing Company".
In 1890 the company relocated to a factory on Adelaide Avenue in Providence.Gorham's presence in Rhode Island changed both the physical and human make up of the area. Gorham's skilled craftspeople, many of whom immigrated from Europe, built houses in the Mashapaug Pond area near Gorham's Adelaide Avenue factory. Gorham's use of the Mashapaug Pond area for its waste caused the water and ground of the area to become toxic.
During the heyday of American silver manufacturing, approximately 1850 - 1940, Gorham was influential both in its hold on the silver market and its design . William C. Codman, one of Gorham's most noted designers, created Chantilly in 1895, which has become the most famous of Gorham's flatware patterns. Matching holloware has been made in both sterling and silverplate.
In 1884, the company opened a store in the Ladies' Mile shopping district in Manhattan, New York City, but moved in 1905 to a Fifth Avenue building which was designed for the by Stanford White. In 1906 Gorham purchased another long-time rival, Kerr & Co, which was based in New Jersey.
The company was purchased by Textron in 1967, a move that some critics claim decreased quality due to management's lack of understanding of Gorham's specialty, producing high-quality sterling silverware and holloware. In 1985, Textron closed the Adelaide Avenue factory in Providence. Gorham was owned by Brown-Forman Corporation from 1991 to 2005 until it was sold to Department 56 in the Lenox holdings transaction.
This collection is inventoried but not yet processed.
Materials are arranged into four record groups:
-- 1-A Family History
-- 1-B Company History
---- 1-B-1 Historical:19th Century Company Records
---- 1-B-2 Historical:Histories written about Gorham
---- 1-B-3 Historical:Articles written about Gorham
---- 1-B-4 Historical:Correspondence re: history
-- 1-C Executive Biographical Files (includes Production Managers)
---- 1-C-1 Historical:Personnel - bio on officers and employees
---- 1-C-2 Historical:Personnel - bio on officers and employees: Edward Holbrook
---- 1-C-3 Historical:Personnel - bio on officers and employees: Edmund Mayo
---- 1-C-4 Historical:Personnel - bio on officers and employees: George Wilkinson
---- 1-C-5 Photos Loose - Executives
-- 1-D Plants & Facilities
---- 1-D-1 Providence:Steeple Street & Main Street
------1-D-1-a Historical: Appraisal of Main Street Properties, 1869
------1-D-1-b Historical:Steeple Street
------1-D-1-c Photos Loose - Plant
---- 1-D-2 Providence: Adelaide Avenue: Elmwood Section
------1-D-2-a Historical
------1-D-2-b Photos Loose - Plant
------1-D-2-c Other:Plant: Maintenance: Space Cost Analysis
---- 1-D-3 New York
------1-D-3-a Historical
------1-D-3-b Working Conditions: New York Office
------1-D-3-c Photos Loose - Plant
---- 1-D-4 London
------1-D-4-a Historical:England
------1-D-4-b Photos Loose - Plant
---- 1-D-5 Chicago
------1-D-5-a Historical:Chicago
------1-D-5-b Photos Loose - Plant
---- 1-D-6 Montreal
------1-D-6-a Historical:Montreal
------1-D-6-b Photos Loose - Plant
-- 1-E History of Silver Industry
-- 1-F Gorham Company Archives
-- 1-G Gorham Company Museum
-- 2-A Stock and Finance Records
---- 2-A-1 Corporate-President-Annual Reports to Stockholders
---- 2-A-2 Corporate-Financial-Executive - Capital stock increase 1874
---- 2-A-3 Corporate-Financial-Executive - Book of stock subscriptions
-- 2-B Board of Directors Records
-- 2-C Legal
-- 2-D Accounting Records
---- 2-D-1 Cost Accounting
------- 2-D-1-a Corporate
-------- 2-D-1-a-i Executive - Ledger 1887-1910
-------- 2-D-1-a-ii Executive - Financial Statements
-------- 2-D-1-a-iii Executive - Expense Ledgers, Journal Vouchers
-------- 2-D-1-a-iv Taxes & Insurance - Tax returns, Insurance policies
------2-D-1-b Sales
------2-D-1-c Expenses
------2-D-1-d Payroll
---------2-D-1-d-i Payroll record (ledger) books
-------- 2-D-1-d-ii Executive Salary Books
---- 2-D-2 Inventory Control
------2-D-2-a Historical: Costing Cross Reference under specific product line
------2-D-2-b Costing
------2-D-2-1 Cost Books
-------- 2-D-2-1-a Silver Holloware
-------- 2-D-2-1-b Silver Flatware
-------- 2-D-2-1-c Silver Specials
-------- 2-D-2-1-d Silver & Electroplate Specials
-------- 2-D-2-1-e Miscellany
-------- 2-D-2-1-f Electroplate Hotelware
-------- 2-D-2-1-g Electroplate Holloware
-------- 2-D-2-1-h Wood Bases
------2-D-2-2 Special Order Slips
------2-D-2-3 Cost Card and Records
------2-D-2-4 Cost Analysis
------2-D-2-5 Silver control
------2-D-2-6 Silver Flatware and Cutlery
------2-D-2-7 Silver Holloware Cost Estimates
---- 2-D-3 Inventory Control
-- 2-E Corporate Identity, Patents and Trademarks
-- 2-F Personnel and Human Resources Materials
----2-F-1 Articles of Agreement (of European craftspeople who migrated to USA)
----2-F-2 Employment cards
----2-F-3 Receipt books
----2-F-4 Working Conditions (-- category for New York Office)
----2-F-5 Photos Loose - Groups - Company outings, parties, etc.
-- 2-G Employee Activities, Clubs, & Benefits
---- 2-G-1 Gorham Savings Bank
------2-G-1-a Historical
------2-G-1-b Establishment of; Minutes of Meetings; Record Books, Cash Accounts, Deposit books, Checkbooks
---- 2-G-2 Gorham Casino
---- 2-G-3 Amalgamated Silver, Allied Metals, & Craft Workers Union, IJWU, Local 31
---- 2-G-4 Quarter-Century Club
---- 2-G-5 The Silver Tongue
-- 2-H Marketing Promotion
---- 2-H-1 Gorham Print Shop
---- 2-H-2 Marketing
------2-H-2-a Sales
-------- 2-H-2-a-i Price Books
-------- 2-H-2-a-ii Personnel
-------- 2-H-2-a-iii Conferences
-------- 2-H-2-a-iv Photos of conferences
------2-H-2-b Advertising
------2-H-2-c Packaging
------2-H-2-d Catalogs
------2-H-2-e Exhibitions/Expositions
-------- 2-H-2-e-i Historical
-------- 2-H-2-e-ii Awards won
-------- 2-H-2-e-iii Paris
-------- 2-H-2-e-iv Chicago
-------- 2-H-2-e-v Philadelphia
---- 2-H-3 Photographic Dept
------2-H-3-a Historical
------2-H-3-b Work Prints
-------- 2-H-3-b-i Index Cards
-------- 2-H-3-b-ii Products
-------- 2-H-3-b-iii Bronze Division - Architectural Bronze
-------- 2-H-3-b-iv Silver (flatware, Gorham & Webster, Hollowware, glass, Ecclesiastical, Jewelry)
-------- 2-H-3-b-v 1960-1985 Series
----------- 2-H-3-b-v-1 Silver: Flatware
----------- 2-H-3-b-v-2 Silver: Hollowware
----------- 2-H-3-b-v-3 Bronze: Architectural
----------- 2-H-3-b-v-4 Bronze: Statuary
----------- 2-H-3-b-v-5 Ecclesiastical
----------- 2-H-3-b-v-6 Gold
------2-H-3-c Advertising
-------- 2-H-3-c-i Loose Photographs: Advertising
-------- 2-H-3-c-ii Loose Photographs: Competing Companies
------2-H-3-d Non-Gorham --jects
---- 2-H-4 Retail Stores
------2-H-4-a New York Store
------2-H-4-b Chicago Store
------2-H-4-c San Francisco Store
-- 3-A Design Department
----3-A-1 Designers
---- 3-A-2 Inventories
---- 3-A-3 Drawings
---- 3-A-4 Blueprints
---- 3-A-5 Technical Drawings (Blackline Prints)
---- 3-A-6 Chasing Patterns
---- 3-A-7 Plaster Molds
---- 3-A-8 Brass Template Patterns
---- 3-A-9 Gorham Design Library
------3-A-9-a Library
------3-A-9-b Gorham Publications
------3-A-9-c Design
-- 3-B Production Records
---- 3-B-1 Silver
------3-B-1-a Administrative History
---- 3-B-2 Silver: Flatware
------3-B-1-b Administrative History
------3-B-2-b Production Records
---- 3-B-3 Silver: Hollowware
------3-B-3-a Administrative History
------3-B-3-b Production Records
---- 3-B-4 Silver: Electroplate
---- 3-B-5 Ecclesiastical
------3-B-5-a Administrative History
------3-B-5-b Production Records
---- 3-B-6 Stained Glass Division
---- 3-B-7 Bronze Division
------3-B-7-a Administrative History
------3-B-7-b Production Records
---- 3-B-8 Gold
------3-B-8-a Administrative History
------3-B-8-b Production Records
---- 3-B-9 China
---- 3-B-10 War Production Work
------3-B-10-a World War I
------3-B-10-b World War II
---- 3-B-11 Other
------3-b-11-a Dolls
------3-b-11-b Gorham Mint
------3-b-11-c Jewelry
------3-b-11-d Plastics
------3-b-11-e Silver Polish
------3-b-11-f Stainless
-- 4-A Alvin
---- 4-A-1 Administrative History
---- 4-A-2 Financial
---- 4-A-3 Legal
---- 4-A-4 Product
---- 4-A-5 Marketing/Sales/Advertising
-- 4-B Black, Starr & Frost
---- 4-B-1 Administrative History
---- 4-B-2 Personnel
---- 4-B-3 Legal
---- 4-B-4 Marketing/Sales/Advertising
-- 4-C Davis & Galt
---- 4-C-1 Administrative History
-- 4-D Durgin
---- 4-D-1 Administrative History
---- 4-D-2 Financial
---- 4-D-3 Accounting/Cost Control/Inventory
---- 4-D-4 Personnel
---- 4-D-5 Marketing/Sales/Advertising
-- 4-E Eaton Paper
---- 4-E-1 Administrative History
---- 4-E-2 Production
-- 4-F Friedman
---- 4-F-1 Administrative History
---- 4-F-2 Marketing/Sales/Advertising
-- 4-G Gotham Silver Company
---- 4-G-1 Legal
-- 4-H Graff, Washbourne & Dunn
---- 4-H-1 Administrative History
---- 4-H-2 Drawings
---- 4-H-3 Marketing/Sales/Advertising
---- 4-H-4 Production
-- 4-I Kennard & Jenkes
---- 4-I-1 Administrative History
-- 4-J Kerr
---- 4-J-1 Administrative History
---- 4-J-2 Financial
---- 4-J-3 Accounting/Cost Control/Inventory
---- 4-J-4 Design
------4-J-4-a Drawings
---- 4-J-5 Marketing/Sales/Advertising
---- 4-J-6 Production
-- 4-K McChesney
---- 4-K-1 Administrative History
---- 4-K-2 Drawings
---- 4-K-3 Marketing/Sales/Advertising
-- 4-L Mount Vernon
---- 4-L-1 Administrative History
---- 4-L-2 Financial
---- 4-L-3 Legal
---- 4-L-4 Personnel
---- 4-L-5 Marketing/Sales/Advertising
-- 4-M Quaker Silver co.
---- 4-M-1 Accounting/Cost Control/Inventory
---- 4-M-2 Marketing/Sales/Advertising
-- 4-N Spaulding & Co.
---- 4-N-1 Administrative History
-- 4-O Stand Metal Products
---- 4-O-1 Administrative History
-- 4-P Whiting
---- 4-P-1 Administrative History
---- 4-P-2 Financial
---- 4-P-3 Design
---- 4-P-4 Marketing/Sales/Advertising
---- 4-P-5 Production
-- 4-Q Wood & Hughes (See Graff, Washbourne & Dunn)
---- 4-Q-1 Marketing/Sales/Advertising
-- 4-R Silversmiths Company
---- 4-R-1 Administrative History
---- 4-R-2 Financial
-- 4-S Speculations:
---- 4-S-1 Wallace Stainless Steel
---- 4-S-2 Mexican Silver Mine
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them
This collection is inventoried but not yet processed. Researchers may view and request items from the inventory spreadsheet located here. Access to the collection is available at the discretion of the John Hay Library. The collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Gorham Manufacturing Company Records, Ms.74, Brown University Library.
This is an unprocessed collection. Gaps in the series structure in the series inventory represent materials that have not yet been described.
Subgroup 1-A. Family History
Subgroup 1-B. Company History
Subgroup 1-C. Executive Biographical Files (includes Production Managers)
Subgroup 1-D. Plants and Facilities
Subgroup 1-E. History of Silver Industry
Subgroup 1-F. Gorham Company Archives
Subgroup 1-G. Gorham Company Museum
Subgroup 2-A. Stock and Finance Records
Subgroup 2-B. Board of Directors Records
Subgroup 2-D. Accounting Records
Subgroup 2-F. Personnel and Human Resources Materials
Subgroup 2-H. Marketing Promotion
Subgroup 3-A. Design Department
Subgroup 3-B. Production Records
Subgroup 4-A. Alvin
Subgroup 4-B. Black, Starr & Frost
Subgroup 4-C. Davis & Galt
Subgroup 4-D. Durgin
Subgroup 4-E. Eaton Paper
Subgroup 4-F. Friedman
Subgroup 4-H. Graff, Washbourne & Dunn
Subgroup 4-I. Kennard & Jenkes
Subgroup 4-J. Kerr
Subgroup 4-L. Mount Vernon
Subgroup 4-N. Spaulding & Co.
Subgroup 4-O. Stand Metal Products
Subgroup 4-P. Whiting
Subgroup 4-Q. Wood & Hughes (See Graff, Washbourne & Dunn)
This is an unprocessed collection. The collection has been surveyed multiple times, including in 1988, known as the Hough inventory, and in 2012. The inventory spreadsheet includes both 2012 and 1988 (Hough) series structures, with the 2012 series structure as the main series structure.
This is an unprocessed collection. It has been opened for research because of the importance of the collection. As a result the inventory may not be completely accurate.
See Brown University's
See also the
See also the