Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893: A Rare American Silver-gilt, Enamel and Jewel-set Ewer, Gorham Mfg. Co., Providence, RI, circa 1893

vase form, the shoulder set with three enameled portrait roundels in Renaissance dress, above four shaped panels of musical putti, all surrounded by strapwork, flowers and foliage with enameled highlights or on enamel grounds, set with cabochon garnets and moonstones, female caryatid handle, the foot rim now engraved with pseudo-Fabergé signature

as noted re: marks, one roundel perhaps very neatly restored on one side, other pictorial roundels in good condition, losses and restoration to painted enamel, particularly light and dark blue grounds; otherwise good, important example from a major fair
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

At the Chicago fair, Gorham deliberately set out to rival and surpass European enamelers.  As they won two awards for "enameling on silver" and another two for "painting on enamel," plus three more for enameling techniques, the results were a triumph.  It is worth noting, though, that Hermann Boehm did not exhibit  in 1893.

A pamphlet published by Gorham for the exhibition described their pieces:
these paintings on enamel are by a Hungarian whose services are of great value.  His designs are executed by young women, chiefly American, chosen for their artistic tendencies, who work under his immediate supervision, and are practically educated by him.  They receive from sixty to seven[ty]-five dollars a month.  The work is slow, the minutiae extreme, and months of labor go into each article.

The Hungarian artist, G. de Festetics, was described in an article in The Jewelers' Circular as having "received the diploma for highest excellence as an artist at the Vienna Museum of Arts in 1889."

The Gorham costing slip gives the details of making this piece: fashioning the body took 60 hours, a full work week in 1893, costing just $21.  Chasing the body and handle took 240 hours - a full month of work - and was charged at $170, just 70 cents an hour.  However, enameling for the same amount of time, 240 hours, cost $325; at $1.35 per hour the enameler was paid almost twice the rate of the chaser.

At some point in its life, the Gorham marks and code were removed from this piece and the fake Fabergé signature added; however, Sam Hough was able to identify this as sample number 5223 from the coded photos in the Gorham archives, now at Brown University.