Modernism in American Silver: 20th-Century Design

November 10, 2006–March 25, 2007
The Wolfsonian–FIU @ 1001 Washington Avenue

During the nineteenth century, the American silverware industry became the largest in the world. By the 1920s, however, silver manufacturers faced serious challenges that included higher production costs and a trend toward smaller, easier-to-maintain homes. The use of silverware began to decline, especially during the economic stress of the Great Depression, when less expensive alternatives to silver became increasingly popular. Faced with a shrinking market, manufacturers sought new ways to sell their silver, hoping to attract progressive customers by introducing innovative designs reflecting contemporary fashion, art and architecture, and new technologies.

This exhibition focused on the advent of modern design in the American silver industry between 1925 and 2000, a period that witnessed the transformation of American life—and with it, the traditional role of silverware.

Modernism in American Silver: 20th-Century Design was organized by the Dallas Museum of Art.