Ice cream dish

1877-1878

Place madeNew York, New York

Silver

Overall: 6 1/4 × 15 3/8 in. (15.9 × 39.1 cm)

Gift of Mr. John Mackay

1980.14

This ice cream dish was part of an extravagant 1,250-piece dinner service made by Tiffany & Co. for John W. and Marie Louise Mackay. In 1873, "Silver King" John Mackay discovered the Comstock Lode, a vast silver deposit in Virginia City, Nevada, and he had the service made from half a ton of silver extracted from the mine. It was the largest and most ornate service of the Gilded Age. Reportedly, two hundred craftsmen worked on the service exclusively for two years.

DescriptionWrought silver and gilt ice cream dish in an Indian design; shallow, almost flat, circular body with a wide, lobed rim; each lobe repoussé chased with clovers, thistle or flowers; foliate trefoil motifs are applied at the top of the rim at each plain division; the wrought initials, "M L M" are applied to the rim on one side and the Hungerford (Mrs. Mackay's) family coat of arms topped by a crown and thistle are applied to the opposite side of the rim; interior of the bowl is gilt with an etched and lightly engraved, scalloped ring of flowers; bowl seated on a molded footring with an applied Chinese fret-work and Indian floral apron; four elephant trunk feet with chased Asian flowers and vines are applied to the underside of the apron; maker's mark and object number on the base.

MarkingsWrought, applied to rim: "M L M" in foliate roman letters; stamped on the base: "TIFFANY & Co / 4878 MAKERS 5635 / STERLING-SILVER / 925-1000 / M"; engraved on the base: "207 / _ / 5"

ClassificationsSILVER

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