Gorham 'Old Medici' Choice Old Sterling Silver Master Butter Knife

This master butter knife is a lengthy at 7 7/8", and weighty at 1.61 T. oz., early example of Gorham's Old Medici marked with the company's "lion, anchor, G" emblem, "Sterling," and "Copyrighted" on the handle backside.

Old Medici is one of the many expressive patterns created by renowned Gorham designer Antoine Heller. It features a variety of figures and imagery drawn from the Italian Renaissance period.

Most references date this to 1880, although Charles Carpenter in his benchmark book Gorham Silver places it about 1883.

The figure on this is a young woman garbed in a long dress covered by an apron. She is carrying a wooden basket or small barrel with staves.

Additional details are standard to the pattern and include a gargoyle, a pair of doves with raised wings, and leafy tracery.

The blade is set at an angle to the handle, and has a scalloped upper edge and a pointed tip. The upper surface is engraved in an acanthus leaf design.

Never monogrammed, this is in very good condition. It retains clear pattern detail with minimal softening from polishing. The blade is flat and even and the engraving remains crisp, although it shows light surface scratches. The overall finish offers a warm patina.