Porter Blanchard 'Lotus' Pattern Sterling Silver Large Ewer crafted by Richard Blanchard, c. 1927-30

This large sterling ewer is in the rare 'Lotus' pattern and made by Richard Blanchard working with his brother Porter Blanchard in Burbank, California. Designed with a pedestal foot of lobed panels and incised lines which match the main body, a flaring spout and scroll handle, it is a striking example of arts & crafts silver with overall, shimmering hammer marks.

Richard Blanchard and his brother Porter learned their trade from their father, George Porter Blanchard (who worked for Arthur Stone from 1906-09) in Gardner, Mass. The brothers were Members of the Society of Arts & Crafts, Boston where Richard is listed as a Craftsman 1913-16 and Master Craftsman Society, from 1917-18 and 1920-21 (The Society of Arts & Crafts, Boston Exhibition Record, 1897-1927, p. 31).

In 1923, Porter Blanchard moved to Burbank, California and was joined in 1925 by his brother and father. Richard worked in the Burbank shop until 1930. Working a relatively short period in Burbank, examples of Richard Blanchard silver are quite rare and this is a great example in a lovely design which exhibits the level and skill of a great silversmith. (See: "Richard Blanchard: Twentieth-Century Maker of Handwrought Silver" by Pansylea Howard Willburn in Silver Magazine July/August 2001 for more information.)

This beautiful sterling silver pitcher or ewer is marked underneath with the shop's trademark which is the profile of a silversmith at work inside a square. It is also stamped 'HANDMADE/ STERLING/ PORTER BLANCHARD'. A stamped 'R' inside a square designates the piece as being by Richard Blanchard. It measures 12 inches high by 9 inches across the spout and handle, weighs 40.15 troy ounces, is in excellent condition and has never been engraved or monogrammed.