Tureen 1883

This silver tureen, of unknown date, was crafted by the Gorham Manufacturing Company. The opulence of this tureen reflects the Gilded Age, a period of immense industrial growth and wealth disparity in the United States. As the market economy expanded, intricate silverworks like this became emblems of status and taste among the burgeoning upper class. Consider the labor involved in such a piece; from the mining of the silver, to the crafting of the mold, to the chasing of the marine motifs. What narratives might the hands that shaped this object hold? The sea creatures adorning the surface are rendered with an almost scientific precision. The tureen invites us to reflect on the relationship between nature, industry, and social class, all swirling together in a vessel intended to hold something as quotidian as soup. The tureen serves as both a functional object and a statement of social identity, encapsulating a complex interplay of wealth, labor, and artistry.