Guide to the Gorham Manufacturing Company Records, 1831–1986

John Hay Library , University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Published in 2022

Collection Overview

Title:	Gorham Manufacturing Company Records
Date range:	1831–1986
Creator:	Gorham Manufacturing Company
Extent:	6000 linear feet
Abstract:	Archival records of the company founded in 1831 by silversmith Jabez Gorham in Providence, Rhode Island, and expanded under the leadership of his son John in the 1840s. The collection features many thousands of drawings and photographs of Gorham products. It also contains corporate, personnel, costing, sales, and advertising records, as well as blueprints, plaster casts, and copper printing plates. Incorporated into the collection are the records of fourteen companies acquired by Gorham prior to its acquisition by larger companies, first by Textron Inc., then by Dansk International, and finally by Brown-Forman Corporation in 1991. This collection is inventoried but not yet processed.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	John Hay Library , University Archives and Manuscripts
Collection number:	Ms.74

Scope & content

This collection is inventoried but not yet processed.

Materials are arranged into four record groups:

Record Group 1 History and Reference Materials

-- 1-A Family History

-- 1-B Company History

---- 1-B-1 Historical:19th Century Company Records

---- 1-B-2 Historical:Histories written about Gorham

---- 1-B-3 Historical:Articles written about Gorham

---- 1-B-4 Historical:Correspondence re: history

-- 1-C Executive Biographical Files (includes Production Managers)

---- 1-C-1 Historical:Personnel - bio on officers and employees

---- 1-C-2 Historical:Personnel - bio on officers and employees: Edward Holbrook

---- 1-C-3 Historical:Personnel - bio on officers and employees: Edmund Mayo

---- 1-C-4 Historical:Personnel - bio on officers and employees: George Wilkinson

---- 1-C-5 Photos Loose - Executives

-- 1-D Plants & Facilities

---- 1-D-1 Providence:Steeple Street & Main Street

------1-D-1-a Historical: Appraisal of Main Street Properties, 1869

------1-D-1-b Historical:Steeple Street

------1-D-1-c Photos Loose - Plant

---- 1-D-2 Providence: Adelaide Avenue: Elmwood Section

------1-D-2-a Historical

------1-D-2-b Photos Loose - Plant

------1-D-2-c Other:Plant: Maintenance: Space Cost Analysis

---- 1-D-3 New York

------1-D-3-a Historical

------1-D-3-b Working Conditions: New York Office

------1-D-3-c Photos Loose - Plant

---- 1-D-4 London

------1-D-4-a Historical:England

------1-D-4-b Photos Loose - Plant

---- 1-D-5 Chicago

------1-D-5-a Historical:Chicago

------1-D-5-b Photos Loose - Plant

---- 1-D-6 Montreal

------1-D-6-a Historical:Montreal

------1-D-6-b Photos Loose - Plant

-- 1-E History of Silver Industry

-- 1-F Gorham Company Archives

-- 1-G Gorham Company Museum

Record Group 2 Corporate and Administrative

-- 2-A Stock and Finance Records

---- 2-A-1 Corporate-President-Annual Reports to Stockholders

---- 2-A-2 Corporate-Financial-Executive - Capital stock increase 1874

---- 2-A-3 Corporate-Financial-Executive - Book of stock subscriptions

-- 2-B Board of Directors Records

-- 2-C Legal

-- 2-D Accounting Records

---- 2-D-1 Cost Accounting

------- 2-D-1-a Corporate

-------- 2-D-1-a-i Executive - Ledger 1887-1910

-------- 2-D-1-a-ii Executive - Financial Statements

-------- 2-D-1-a-iii Executive - Expense Ledgers, Journal Vouchers

-------- 2-D-1-a-iv Taxes & Insurance - Tax returns, Insurance policies

------2-D-1-b Sales

------2-D-1-c Expenses

------2-D-1-d Payroll

---------2-D-1-d-i Payroll record (ledger) books

-------- 2-D-1-d-ii Executive Salary Books

---- 2-D-2 Inventory Control

------2-D-2-a Historical: Costing Cross Reference under specific product line

------2-D-2-b Costing

------2-D-2-1 Cost Books

-------- 2-D-2-1-a Silver Holloware

-------- 2-D-2-1-b Silver Flatware

-------- 2-D-2-1-c Silver Specials

-------- 2-D-2-1-d Silver & Electroplate Specials

-------- 2-D-2-1-e Miscellany

-------- 2-D-2-1-f Electroplate Hotelware

-------- 2-D-2-1-g Electroplate Holloware

-------- 2-D-2-1-h Wood Bases

------2-D-2-2 Special Order Slips

------2-D-2-3 Cost Card and Records

------2-D-2-4 Cost Analysis

------2-D-2-5 Silver control

------2-D-2-6 Silver Flatware and Cutlery

------2-D-2-7 Silver Holloware Cost Estimates

---- 2-D-3 Inventory Control

-- 2-E Corporate Identity, Patents and Trademarks

-- 2-F Personnel and Human Resources Materials

----2-F-1 Articles of Agreement (of European craftspeople who migrated to USA)

----2-F-2 Employment cards

----2-F-3 Receipt books

----2-F-4 Working Conditions (-- category for New York Office)

----2-F-5 Photos Loose - Groups - Company outings, parties, etc.

-- 2-G Employee Activities, Clubs, & Benefits

---- 2-G-1 Gorham Savings Bank

------2-G-1-a Historical

------2-G-1-b Establishment of; Minutes of Meetings; Record Books, Cash Accounts, Deposit books, Checkbooks

---- 2-G-2 Gorham Casino

---- 2-G-3 Amalgamated Silver, Allied Metals, & Craft Workers Union, IJWU, Local 31

---- 2-G-4 Quarter-Century Club

---- 2-G-5 The Silver Tongue

-- 2-H Marketing Promotion

---- 2-H-1 Gorham Print Shop

---- 2-H-2 Marketing

------2-H-2-a Sales

-------- 2-H-2-a-i Price Books

-------- 2-H-2-a-ii Personnel

-------- 2-H-2-a-iii Conferences

-------- 2-H-2-a-iv Photos of conferences

------2-H-2-b Advertising

------2-H-2-c Packaging

------2-H-2-d Catalogs

------2-H-2-e Exhibitions/Expositions

-------- 2-H-2-e-i Historical

-------- 2-H-2-e-ii Awards won

-------- 2-H-2-e-iii Paris

-------- 2-H-2-e-iv Chicago

-------- 2-H-2-e-v Philadelphia

---- 2-H-3 Photographic Dept

------2-H-3-a Historical

------2-H-3-b Work Prints

-------- 2-H-3-b-i Index Cards

-------- 2-H-3-b-ii Products

-------- 2-H-3-b-iii Bronze Division - Architectural Bronze

-------- 2-H-3-b-iv Silver (flatware, Gorham & Webster, Hollowware, glass, Ecclesiastical, Jewelry)

-------- 2-H-3-b-v 1960-1985 Series

----------- 2-H-3-b-v-1 Silver: Flatware

----------- 2-H-3-b-v-2 Silver: Hollowware

----------- 2-H-3-b-v-3 Bronze: Architectural

----------- 2-H-3-b-v-4 Bronze: Statuary

----------- 2-H-3-b-v-5 Ecclesiastical

----------- 2-H-3-b-v-6 Gold

------2-H-3-c Advertising

-------- 2-H-3-c-i Loose Photographs: Advertising

-------- 2-H-3-c-ii Loose Photographs: Competing Companies

------2-H-3-d Non-Gorham --jects

---- 2-H-4 Retail Stores

------2-H-4-a New York Store

------2-H-4-b Chicago Store

------2-H-4-c San Francisco Store

Record Group 3 Production and Product Lines

-- 3-A Design Department

----3-A-1 Designers

---- 3-A-2 Inventories

---- 3-A-3 Drawings

---- 3-A-4 Blueprints

---- 3-A-5 Technical Drawings (Blackline Prints)

---- 3-A-6 Chasing Patterns

---- 3-A-7 Plaster Molds

---- 3-A-8 Brass Template Patterns

---- 3-A-9 Gorham Design Library

------3-A-9-a Library

------3-A-9-b Gorham Publications

------3-A-9-c Design

-- 3-B Production Records

---- 3-B-1 Silver

------3-B-1-a Administrative History

---- 3-B-2 Silver: Flatware

------3-B-1-b Administrative History

------3-B-2-b Production Records

---- 3-B-3 Silver: Hollowware

------3-B-3-a Administrative History

------3-B-3-b Production Records

---- 3-B-4 Silver: Electroplate

---- 3-B-5 Ecclesiastical

------3-B-5-a Administrative History

------3-B-5-b Production Records

---- 3-B-6 Stained Glass Division

---- 3-B-7 Bronze Division

------3-B-7-a Administrative History

------3-B-7-b Production Records

---- 3-B-8 Gold

------3-B-8-a Administrative History

------3-B-8-b Production Records

---- 3-B-9 China

---- 3-B-10 War Production Work

------3-B-10-a World War I

------3-B-10-b World War II

---- 3-B-11 Other

------3-b-11-a Dolls

------3-b-11-b Gorham Mint

------3-b-11-c Jewelry

------3-b-11-d Plastics

------3-b-11-e Silver Polish

------3-b-11-f Stainless

Record Group 4 Subsidiaries and Acquired Companies

-- 4-A Alvin

---- 4-A-1 Administrative History

---- 4-A-2 Financial

---- 4-A-3 Legal

---- 4-A-4 Product

---- 4-A-5 Marketing/Sales/Advertising

-- 4-B Black, Starr & Frost

---- 4-B-1 Administrative History

---- 4-B-2 Personnel

---- 4-B-3 Legal

---- 4-B-4 Marketing/Sales/Advertising

-- 4-C Davis & Galt

---- 4-C-1 Administrative History

-- 4-D Durgin

---- 4-D-1 Administrative History

---- 4-D-2 Financial

---- 4-D-3 Accounting/Cost Control/Inventory

---- 4-D-4 Personnel

---- 4-D-5 Marketing/Sales/Advertising

-- 4-E Eaton Paper

---- 4-E-1 Administrative History

---- 4-E-2 Production

-- 4-F Friedman

---- 4-F-1 Administrative History

---- 4-F-2 Marketing/Sales/Advertising

-- 4-G Gotham Silver Company

---- 4-G-1 Legal

-- 4-H Graff, Washbourne & Dunn

---- 4-H-1 Administrative History

---- 4-H-2 Drawings

---- 4-H-3 Marketing/Sales/Advertising

---- 4-H-4 Production

-- 4-I Kennard & Jenkes

---- 4-I-1 Administrative History

-- 4-J Kerr

---- 4-J-1 Administrative History

---- 4-J-2 Financial

---- 4-J-3 Accounting/Cost Control/Inventory

---- 4-J-4 Design

------4-J-4-a Drawings

---- 4-J-5 Marketing/Sales/Advertising

---- 4-J-6 Production

-- 4-K McChesney

---- 4-K-1 Administrative History

---- 4-K-2 Drawings

---- 4-K-3 Marketing/Sales/Advertising

-- 4-L Mount Vernon

---- 4-L-1 Administrative History

---- 4-L-2 Financial

---- 4-L-3 Legal

---- 4-L-4 Personnel

---- 4-L-5 Marketing/Sales/Advertising

-- 4-M Quaker Silver co.

---- 4-M-1 Accounting/Cost Control/Inventory

---- 4-M-2 Marketing/Sales/Advertising

-- 4-N Spaulding & Co.

---- 4-N-1 Administrative History

-- 4-O Stand Metal Products

---- 4-O-1 Administrative History

-- 4-P Whiting

---- 4-P-1 Administrative History

---- 4-P-2 Financial

---- 4-P-3 Design

---- 4-P-4 Marketing/Sales/Advertising

---- 4-P-5 Production

-- 4-Q Wood & Hughes (See Graff, Washbourne & Dunn)

---- 4-Q-1 Marketing/Sales/Advertising

-- 4-R Silversmiths Company

---- 4-R-1 Administrative History

---- 4-R-2 Financial

-- 4-S Speculations:

---- 4-S-1 Wallace Stainless Steel

---- 4-S-2 Mexican Silver Mine

Access Points

Subject Topics

• Gorham Manufacturing Company -- Archives
• Gorham Manufacturing Company -- History -- Sources
• Architectural drawing -- Rhode Island
• Art metal-work -- Rhode Island
• Silver -- Rhode Island -- Metallurgy
• Gold -- Rhode Island -- Metallurgy
• Bronze -- Rhode Island
• Silverwork
• Decoration and ornament
• Silver-plated ware -- Rhode Island
• Silver-plated flatware -- Rhode Island -- Patterns
• Drawings -- Rhode Island -- 19th century
• Drawings -- Rhode Island -- 20th century
• Photographs -- Rhode Island -- 19th century
• Photographs -- Rhode Island -- 20th century
• Plaster casts -- Rhode Island -- 19th century
• Plaster casts -- Rhode Island -- 20th century
• Blueprints -- Rhode Island -- 19th century
• Blueprints -- Rhode Island -- 20th century

Arrangement

This is an unprocessed collection. Gaps in the series structure in the series inventory represent materials that have not yet been described.

Record Group 1. History and Reference Materials

Subgroup 1-A. Family History

Subgroup 1-B. Company History

• Series 1-B-3. Historical:Articles written about Gorham

Subgroup 1-C. Executive Biographical Files (includes Production Managers)

Subgroup 1-D. Plants and Facilities

• Series 1-D-2. Providence: Adelaide Avenue: Elmwood Section
• Series 1-D-3. New York

Subgroup 1-E. History of Silver Industry

Subgroup 1-F. Gorham Company Archives

Subgroup 1-G. Gorham Company Museum

Record Group 2. Corporate and Administrative

Subgroup 2-A. Stock and Finance Records

• Series 2-A-1. President-Annual Reports to Stockholders

Subgroup 2-B. Board of Directors Records

Subgroup 2-D. Accounting Records

• Series 2-D-1. Cost Accounting
  • Subseries 2-D-1-a. Corporate
  • Subseries 2-D-1-b. Sales
• Series 2-D-2. Inventory Control
  • Subseries 2-D-2-1. Cost Books
  • Subseries 2-D-2-7. Silver Holloware Cost Estimates
  • Subseries 2-D-2-b. Costing

Subgroup 2-F. Personnel and Human Resources Materials

• Series 2-F-5. Photos Loose - Groups - Company outings, parties, etc.

Subgroup 2-H. Marketing Promotion

• Series 2-H-2. Marketing
  • Subseries 2-H-2-a. Sales
  • Subseries 2-H-2-b. Advertising
  • Subseries 2-H-2-d. Catalogs
• Series 2-H-3. Photographic Dept
  • Subseries 2-H-3-a. Historical
  • Subseries 2-H-3-b. Work Prints
• Series 2-H-3-c. Advertising
  • Subseries 2-H-3-c-ii. Loose Photographs: Competing Companies
  • Subseries 2-H-3-d. Non-Gorham Subjects

Record Group 3. Production and Product Lines

Subgroup 3-A. Design Department

• Series 3-A-1. Designers
• Series 3-A-3. Drawings
• Series 3-A-4. Blueprints
• Series 3-A-6. Chasing Patterns
• Series 3-A-9. Gorham Design Library
  • Subseries 3-A-9-a. Library
  • Subseries 3-A-9-c. Design

Subgroup 3-B. Production Records

• Series 3-B-1. Silver
  • Subseries 3-B-1-a. Administrative History
  • Subseries 3-B-2-b. Administrative History
• Series 3-B-3. Silver: Hollowware
  • Subseries 3-B-3-a. Administrative History
  • Subseries 3-B-3-b. Production Records
• Series 3-B-4. Silver: Electroplate
• Series 3-B-5. Ecclesiastical
• Series 3-B-7. Bronze Division
  • Subseries 3-B-7-a. Administrative History
  • Subseries 3-B-7-b. Production Records
  • Subseries 3-B-8-a. Administrative History

Record Group 4. Subsidiaries and Acquired Companies

Subgroup 4-A. Alvin

• Series 4-A-1. Administrative History
• Series 4-A-5. Marketing/Sales/Advertising

Subgroup 4-B. Black, Starr & Frost

• Series 4-B-1. Administrative History

Subgroup 4-C. Davis & Galt

• Series 4-C-1. Administrative History

Subgroup 4-D. Durgin

• Series 4-D-1. Administrative History

Subgroup 4-E. Eaton Paper

• Series 4-E-1. Administrative History

Subgroup 4-F. Friedman

• Series 4-F-1. Administrative History

Subgroup 4-H. Graff, Washbourne & Dunn

• Series 4-H-1. Administrative History
• Series 4-H-3. Marketing/Sales/Advertising

Subgroup 4-I. Kennard & Jenkes

Subgroup 4-J. Kerr

Subgroup 4-L. Mount Vernon

Subgroup 4-N. Spaulding & Co.

Subgroup 4-O. Stand Metal Products

Subgroup 4-P. Whiting

• Series 4-P-1. Administrative History
• Series 4-P-4. Marketing/Sales/Advertising

Subgroup 4-Q. Wood & Hughes (See Graff, Washbourne & Dunn)

• Series 4-R-1. Administrative History
• Series 4-R-2. Financial

Biographical/Historical Note

Gorham Silver was founded in Providence, Rhode Island 1831 by Jabez Gorham, in partnership with Henry L. Webster. The firm's chief product was spoons of coin silver. The company also made thimbles, combs, jewelry, and other small items. In 1842, a tariff which effectively blocked the importation of silverware from outside the United States was passed, which aided the American silver industry.

In 1847 Jabez retired and his son, John Gorham succeeded him as head of the company. John Gorham introduced mechanized production methods, enlarged the premises in downtown Providence, changed the designs, and expanded the product line. In 1852 Gorham toured many of Europe's silver workshops and manufacturers, speaking with individual specialists, including master craftsmen and toolmakers. He also sought out highly skilled foreign workmen to train his American workers. George Wilkinson, a premier designer and workshop manager, was hired from England. In 1865 a charter was granted by the Rhode Island legislature by the name of "Gorham Manufacturing Company".

In 1890 the company relocated to a factory on Adelaide Avenue in Providence.Gorham's presence in Rhode Island changed both the physical and human make up of the area. Gorham's skilled craftspeople, many of whom immigrated from Europe, built houses in the Mashapaug Pond area near Gorham's Adelaide Avenue factory. Gorham's use of the Mashapaug Pond area for its waste caused the water and ground of the area to become toxic.

During the heyday of American silver manufacturing, approximately 1850 - 1940, Gorham was influential both in its hold on the silver market and its design . William C. Codman, one of Gorham's most noted designers, created Chantilly in 1895, which has become the most famous of Gorham's flatware patterns. Matching holloware has been made in both sterling and silverplate.

In 1884, the company opened a store in the Ladies' Mile shopping district in Manhattan, New York City, but moved in 1905 to a Fifth Avenue building which was designed for the by Stanford White. In 1906 Gorham purchased another long-time rival, Kerr & Co, which was based in New Jersey.

The company was purchased by Textron in 1967, a move that some critics claim decreased quality due to management's lack of understanding of Gorham's specialty, producing high-quality sterling silverware and holloware. In 1985, Textron closed the Adelaide Avenue factory in Providence. Gorham was owned by Brown-Forman Corporation from 1991 to 2005 until it was sold to Department 56 in the Lenox holdings transaction.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	This collection is inventoried but not yet processed. Researchers may view and request items from the inventory spreadsheet located here. Access to the collection is available at the discretion of the John Hay Library. The collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them
Alternate form:	See also the Brown Digitial Repository Gorham Collection
Preferred citation:	Gorham Manufacturing Company Records, Ms.74, Brown University Library.
Contact information:	John Hay Library , University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Processing information:	This is an unprocessed collection. The collection has been surveyed multiple times, including in 1988, known as the Hough inventory, and in 2012. The inventory spreadsheet includes both 2012 and 1988 (Hough) series structures, with the 2012 series structure as the main series structure.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Janaya Kizzie
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using the RIAMCO EAD spreadsheet, 2022 November
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)
Sponsor:	Finding aid created by Brown University Library staff with funding support from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Additional Information

Related material:	See Brown University's Gorham Manufacturing Company libguide for more information on Gorham collections at Brown University and beyond. See also the Brown Digitial Repository Gorham Collection
Location/Existence of copies:	See also the Brown Digitial Repository Gorham Collection
Other information:	This is an unprocessed collection. It has been opened for research because of the importance of the collection. As a result the inventory may not be completely accurate.

Inventory

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