A renaissance is taking place in the craft of silversmithing in the United States, an event not limited geographically nor by any one uniform approach to design. The work of the professional silver craftsmen exhibited at America House during the month of January shows the influence of greatly divergent attitudes toward design. The personalities of the silversmiths as revealed in their work are shown to be as different as their heterogeneous backgrounds, All show a blending of past tradition, early American or European, with the modern attitude. However. some of the silversmiths lean heavily upon the familiar forms, while others are reaching outward and creating startling and dramatic forms which have not been seen before in silver. It is interesting to note that the former tend to be from the well-known silver centers in the Eastern States, while the others are in most cases inhabitants of the West, or those who have been strongly exposed to the Scandinavian genius in this field.
Among those who are recreating with pristine vigor the traditional styles are the Stone Associates. They are carrying on the work of the famous founder of the business, Arthur J. Stone. who served his apprenticeship in Sheffield, England. and worked for Durgin in Concord, New Hampshire. before founding his own establishment. In the work of the Stone group and in that of George C. Erickson, who learned his craft with the late Mr. Stone. are apparent the smooth fluid lines of English silver; their work has a lien too on the dignity and simplicity of early American silver, which grew with wonderful clarity from the more ornate English forms.
Stone Associates showed a group of simply designed pieces with definite, unembellished lines, each object characterized by a wonderfully fine, scintillating surface. One can almost hear the solid ring of the planishing hammer which created the sheen of the curved bodies of the coffee and tea set with its small ivory knobs. There was shown also a water pitcher with cover, and two squarish bowls completely unadorned and with finely turned edges. George Erickson presented two bowls, and a delicately made, finely polished gravy dish and ladle.
Source: Craft Horizons Spring 1949
Trev.
