Gorham Antique Sterling Silver Salt Dish, Providence, RI, 1885

Inspired by the sea life of Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay, this unusual salt dish is an imaginative form executed in the shape of an oyster shell with a smaller applied shell foot. Applied sand and barnacles convey a realistic appearance to the piece. The interior of the bowl has ruffled striations and an undulating border.

This dish is very similar to the Gorham salted almond dish of the same form (see here), which is a little larger with two shell feet, although this salt dish is much rarer.

This cute dish is marked with Gorham's trademark, 'STERLING/ 1990', and with the date symbol of 1885. It measures just shy of 5 inches long, weighs 2.35 troy ounces and is in very good antique condition. 

Here is an original photo courtesy of the Gorham Archives at the John Hay Library, Brown University.