Martelé Tea Service, Sugar Bowl

In response to the growing popularity of handwrought metals, Gorham introduced a line of silver called Martelé in the late 1890s. Taking its name from the French word for hand-hammered, Martelé silver was designed under the direction of William C. Codman and produced by some of the company's finest craftsmen. Registering the Martelé trademark in 1899, Gorham introduced its new line at the 1900 Paris Exposition to great popular and critical acclaim. The long, flowing lines, asymmetry, and naturalism of Martelé silver all reflect the influence of French Art Nouveau. While not a matched set, this tea service, with its curvilinear forms and distinctly handwrought character, is typical of Gorham's finest Martelé silver.