Gorham Martelé shaped rectangular bowl

Let's take a moment to reflect upon why a dealer, or at least Yours Truly, chooses to add an item to inventory.

Over the years, I've examined many pieces of Martelé, and if you dear reader will forgive me for a bit of crudeness, most of them are "trashed." Specifically, the detail is severely worn away, leaving the beauty of the overall design still appreciable but no longer intact.

Why? Because Gorham made a bit of a bargain with the devil, and used .950 or .9584 silver to make these items. This reduced the immense labor costs associated with Martelé, because finer silver is easier to work, but it also made them less resistant to normal polishing, especially with more aggressive formulas.

This little wonder is in pristine condition, looking much as it did upon leaving the gates at 333 Adelaide Ave back in 1903. Run your finger over the richly chased flowers, and you'll still feel tiny burrs left over from the decorating process. This is nearly unheard of.

If your collection is in search of a benchmark piece, then here is the one to choose.

Length 7 3/4; width 6 3/4 inches, weight 12.54 Troy ounces.