In the year 1831, in Rhode Island, Jabez Gorham founded the Gorham Silver Company which is one of the supreme producers of sterling silver and silver plate in America. While working for the company in the year 1895, the well known designer, William C. Codman developed one of the famous silver patterns known as Chantilly. This pattern has remained one of the best known patterns even today.
The luster of this company’s silverware has caught the sight of even the White House administrations and has been asked for by Mary Todd Lincoln and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant. On the special occasion of the 100th anniversary of the United States the company had proudly designed a sterling silver vase for Mrs. Grant. This silver vase contained more than 2,000 oz. of silver and was kept at the center of the display at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibit. The vase was had a height of 50 inches and a length of 62 inches. The design illustrated many scenes of the history of America on the face of it. It was displayed, in Paris and Chicago, but was eventually destroyed.