Arthur Stone Sterling Silver Sauce Boat with Tray, c. 1937

Graceful lines, beautiful proportions and stunning design characterize this lovely gravy/ sauce boat with its original tray.  We have never seen this unusual 8-panel decoration with a wavy top edge. The body has light shimmer from the subtle surface hammering.  Raising the silver and defining the lobed panels required exceptional skill.  This set was a duel effort with the boat being created by Herbert Taylor and the tray by Edgar Caron. 
Herbert A. Taylor was one of only seven silversmiths who achieved the honor of 'Medalist' within the Society of Arts & Crafts of Boston who worked for Stone starting in 1908.
Edgar L. Caron achieved 'Master Craftsman' status within the Society of Arts & Crafts and worked for Stone starting in 1924. Provenance: From the estate of Hugh J. Grant, Jr. 

Hugh J. Grant, Sr. (1858-1910) was the first Irish-American mayor of New York City, serving form 1889-1892. At the age of 31, he was also the youngest mayor in that city's history.  Grant married Julia M. Murphy (1872-1944), the daughter of New York Senator Edward Murphy, Jr. (1836-1911), in 1895. 

A successful real estate investor, Grant lived with his family in their 10,960 square foot mansion at 20 East 72nd Street that was designed by the architectural firm of Rose and Stone.  They purchased  many of the finest decorative arts then available including an exceptional Gorham Martelé ewer and basin, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (see here).

The Grants were important philanthropists and major donors to the Catholic Church, providing the funds to establish Regis High School (a Jesuit school for the poor and gifted, see here), in New York.  The Grants fully funded the school until the 1960's.  Hugh J. Grant, Jr. gifted the 72nd Street mansion to the Archdiocese of New York.  It is currently the residence of the Vatican's ambassador to the United Nations and serves as the Pope's residence when visiting New York City.

This rare set is marked underneath with Stone's trademark and 'STERLING'.  The boat is stamped 'T' for Taylor and the tray is marked with a 'C' designating Caron.  It is also interesting to note the trademark on the boat is for Arthur Stone and the trademark on the tray is for Stone Associates which means they were made in 1937 as the mark changed when the company was sold to Henry Heywood.  The tray measures 7.5 inches long by 5.25 inches wide and the gravy/sauce boat measures 7.5 inches long across handle and spout by just under 3.5 inches high.  They weigh a combined 14.50 troy ounces, have never been engraved and are in excellent condition. 

Our Price: SOLD

Item code: F912