Style & Status in Sterling: American Silver
Exhibition Design & Graphic Design
Permanent Installation - Now on View
This exhibition showcases extraordinary pieces of silver and celebrates the value of craftsmanship and design that went into their creation. Silversmithing is a part of our cultural history, but risks the possibility of being forgotten. Style & Status in Sterling: American Silver seeks to educate a new generation about the history of this labor intensive, handmade craft. As a center of production during Industrialization, Newark, NJ was home to large factories like Tiffany & Co., who employed hundreds of craftsmen. By 1990, popularity of silver dinnerware and decoration declined and most production factories had closed. Once the ultimate symbol of status, silver now holds a permanent place in institutions where it can serve as inspiration to future generations of makers and craftsmen.