Name/Title
Footed BowlEntry/Object ID
2022.2.85.63Description
This bowl is an example of mid-nineteenth-century sterling silver in the Egyptian revival style. This is a footed (hooved) bowl manufactured by Ball, Black, & Co. of New York City. The design is attributed to Johann Rudolph Wendt, also of New York City. This small bowl incorporated Egyptian motifs into a bold, classic form. There is a layered feather motif on the rim. The rim of the bowl is further accented with Wendt's signature medallions, two profiles based on the traditions of ancient Greece and Rome.Context
The company that later became Ball, Black, & Co. was founded as Marquard and Co. in 1810 in New York City by silversmith Isaac Marquard. In 1839 the company was purchased by Henry Ball, Erastus Thompkins, and William Black, and the name changed to Ball, Thompkins, Black. In 1851 it became Ball, Black, and Co.
John Rudolph Wendt, a German-trained silversmith, was the primary designer and supplier for the company. He likely produced this piece. In 1876 new partners joined the business, and the name became Black, Starr, and Frost. The company operated under this name until 1962 when it formed a partnership with Gorham Manufacturing Co., and the retailer's mark changed to Black, Starr, Frost, Gorham, Inc.
Catering to the day's elite, Ball, Black, & Co. was a serious rival of Tiffany and Co., producing and selling such items as jewelry, silver objects, clocks, and chandeliers.
- Adapted from text written by Thomas Bachelder of the Malabar Farm FoundationLocation
Room
Dining RoomBuilding
The Big HouseOhio State Park
Malabar Farm State Park
