Object Description
Pair of silvered and gilt-metal ‘Fleurs des Siècles’ flower models by Gorham
American, c.1975
Height 12cm, width 14cm, depth 10cm
These beautiful decorative pieces are a pair of flower basket models, part of the ‘Fleur des Siècles,’ range by the Gorham Manufactory Company to designs by Jane Hutcheson, and were made during the late 20th century.
They are in the form of floral arrangements of silvered and gilt-metal berries, leaves, and flowers on gold-plated wire stems, in square, silvered woven baskets with swing handles, and are unmarked. They were said to be inspired by 18th century Vincennes porcelain flowers, the ‘Fleurs des Siecles’ line, which was designed by Jane Hutcheson for Gorham and produced in their Providence factory from the early 1970s to the mid 1980s.
Gorham offered a selection of different floral arrangements, with each flower and leaf handcrafted and some arrangements hand-enameled over gold plate. Advertisements at the time described the collection as, “blooming beautifully from here to eternity to grow more precious with time…”, an homage to the name ‘Fleurs des Siecles’ or ‘Flowers of the Centuries’.