An American Silver Ice Bucket and Spoon, Gorham & Co., Providence, RI, Late 19th-Early 20th Century

Sotheby's, New York, 20-21 June 1996, lot 135 (server)

The Iris Schwartz Collection of American Silver, sold

Sotheby's, New York, January 20, 2017, lot 3078

The iconography of this ice bowl and spoon relates to the 1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. Also at this time, the Bostonian, Frederic Tudor (1783-1864) developed the technology to harvest, market, and sell ice to an affluent client base. Ice was a luxury in the late 19th century, and these silver bowls reflected its value and prestige. (See Samuel J. Hough, "The Class of 1870: Gorham Sterling Ice Bowls," Silver Magazine, September-October 1989, pp. 30-33).

An ice bowl and tongs sold in these Rooms January 16, 2003, lots 80 and 81, and January 18, 2002, lot 265. An ice bowl and spoon from the collection of Sam Wagstaff, sold Christie's, New York, January 20, 1989, lot 86, is now in the collection of the Dallas Museum of Art. Another ice bowl and spoon from the Star collection was sold Sotheby's, New York, October 20, 2020, lot 78.

The letter coding suggests that this is a slightly later special order reprisal of Gorham's popular #125 ice bowl, first introduced in 1870 and a best seller for the following fifteen years. This EME bowl may have been produced around the time of Gorham's EMH Martelé tea set, which was completed in October, 1903.