Durgin Division of Gorham Sterling Silver and Jade Art Deco Bowl, Providence, RI, 1928

A rare and stunning example of American Art Deco, this bowl has a stepped base that reflects onto the semi-spherical bowl with an applied band around its upper edge. The handles are similarly stepped (almost pagoda-shaped) with slightly up-turned ends. Underneath the handles are silver rings holding stunning, pierced jade semi-precious stones carved in a pierced circular design.

The Durgin Division of Gorham made a small number of Art Deco silver pieces enhanced with other media during the late 1920s. They are rarely seen on the market today. Another example of the Durgin Division of Gorham silver and jade is a sandwich tray, part of The Jewel Stern American Silver Collection at the Dallas Museum of Art: see here. (1)

This beautiful, small bowl is marked underneath with Durgin's trademark of a 'D' within an oval. It is also marked 'GORHAM/ STERLING/ 92634' and has the date mark of 1928. It measures just over 7.5 inches across the handles by 3.5 inches tall, weighs 10.70 troy ounces, and is in excellent antique condition.

Endnote:

1. Jewel Stern, Modernism in American Silver: 20th Century Design, (Hew Haven: Yale University Press, 2005), pp. 24-25.