The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:          George Christian Gebelein, 1878-1945                                    

Title:               Portfolio

Dates:             1903-1930s

Call No.:         Col. 21

Acc. No.:         89x17, 94x1, 97x110, 99x66, 99x132

Quantity:        21 boxes and 3 map case drawers (ca.475 items)

Location:        42 F 3-6, G 1-14; Map Case D, Drawers 1-3; wire wall

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

George Christian Gebelein, perhaps America's foremost silversmith of the 20th century, has been referred to as "the modern Paul Revere." He was born in Germany in 1878, the son of Margeretha Solger and Johann Nicolaus Gebelein.  The family moved to the United States shortly after his birth, settling in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  George Gebelein graduated from the Harvard Grammar School in June 1893. 

 

After graduation, Gebelein worked briefly at a woolen mill and then began an apprenticeship in silversmithing at Goodnow and Jenks of Boston.  There he developed a passion for handcrafted silver.  After working for several other silversmiths, including Tiffany’s, Gebelein opened his own silversmithing and jewelry business at 79 Chestnut Street, Boston, in 1909.  Here, he sold not only his own work, but also those of his assistants, items produced by other companies, and antique silver goods, as well as pewter, brass, and copper ware. In addition, he crafted domestic and ecclesiastical silver, flatware, and such presentation pieces as trophies and cups, including the Harvard Cup.   Gebelein employed a jewelry designer, but in all likelihood the jewelry settings themselves were probably done elsewhere. During his early years in business, Gebelein taught silversmithing to a select group of pupils.

 

During his fifty-year career, Gebelein exhibited his work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Currier Gallery of Art.  The Boston Society of Arts and Crafts awarded him its Master Craftsman's Medal, and he garnered other honors from the Art Institute of Chicago, and at the Panama Pacific Exposition of 1915.  In addition to producing items for private individuals, Gebelein had commissions from the United States Military Academy at West Point, the College of William and Mary, and the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

 

In 1901, Gebelein married Eva May Pelren, the daughter of Rosa and Moses Pelren, of Concord, New Hampshire.  They raised four sons and three daughters at their home in Wellesley Hills, outside Boston.  One son worked in his father’s shop, although not as a silversmith.  After George Gebelein died in 1945, his family kept the business going, but in 1984 it was sold.

 

For more information about George Gebelein’s life and work, see George Christian Gebelein, Boston Silversmith, 1878-1945, by Magaretha Gebelein Leighton (Boston: The Author, 1976), and George Christian Gebelein: The Craft and Business of a “Modern Paul Revere,” by Alexandra Deutsch, a 1995 thesis done in the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

The collection consists of drawings, mostly watercolor, for a wide variety of silver work and jewelry, including designs of reproduction English and colonial pieces, as well as original designs showing the influence of the Arts and Crafts Movement.  Over half of the drawings show tea and coffee services, including creamers, sugar bowls, and waste bowls.  There are, in addition, depictions of pitchers, candlesticks, plaques, frames, urns, and ceremonial cups.  Some of the leaves are annotated in pencil, revealing the names of those who commissioned Gebelein's work, prices, and directions for improving the way an object was to look.  A few have Gebelein's small paper labels affixed to the reverse.  The drawings from the 1930s and 1940s may have been done by Walter Edward Werner, who did a great deal of that sort of work during those years.

 

The jewelry designs are for bar pins, stick pins, brooches, earrings, pendants, necklaces, bracelets, a watch, watch fobs or seals, rings, cuff links, etc.  Some are marked with the initials G.E.G., one is dated 1914, some betray an influence of Art Deco work, and some indicate for whom the piece was designed.  A number of the jewelry designs include notes about which stones were to be used and a few indicate that the customer would supply the stones.  Finally, prices are recorded on some of the drawings.  It is not known who executed the jewelry designs.  The jewelry designs have been scanned.

 

In addition, there are a few printed items: an article about Gebelein’s work, and an advertisement and a price list for his silver lined copper bowls.  As well, the collection includes a copy of the finding aid for the Gebelein papers held by the Henry Ford Museum and photocopies of some of the papers held by the Henry Ford, chiefly dealing with jewelry design.

 

Much of this collection is also available on microfilm, reel number 3017.            

 

 

ORGANIZATION

 

Silver drawings are arranged by type of object depicted and then roughly in accession number order, in Boxes 1-17.  Oversized silver drawings, listed at the beginning of this inventory, are in map case drawers.  Drawings of jewelry are in Boxes 18-20 and are arranged by size and then by type of jewelry shown.  Scans of these designs are found in Box 21 and should be used before the original designs.  Materials from the Henry Ford Museum are also in Box 21. 

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.  Permission to quote from the materials held by the Henry Ford Museum must be obtained from that institution.

 

 

PROVENANCE

           

Accession 89x17, purchase from C. Richard Becker; 94x1and 97x110 gift-purchase from Dave Thomas; 99x66 purchase from Thomas G. Boss; 99x132 gift from Alexandra Deutsch McKee; acc. 07x102 gift of Patricia Edmonson.

 

 

RELATED MATERIALS:

 

George Gebelein’s silversmithing tools and business papers were donated to the Henry Ford Museum.

 

See Alexandra Deutsch, “George Christian Gebelein: The Craft and Business of a ‘Modern Paul Revere,’” thesis, University of Delaware, 1995.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Silverwork - Massachusetts - Boston.

            Jewelry – Design.

            Jewelry – Massachusetts - Boston.

            Drawings.

            Silversmiths.

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 42 F 3-6, G 1-14; Map Case D, Drawers 1-3; wire wall

 

 

Note: All the drawing signed G.E.G. bear the statement “property of George C. Gebelein, Boston.”

 

 

Oversize:  Map Case D, drawer 1

 

94x1.38           Tea pot, coffee pot, sugar bowl, creamer, and waste bowl, with sketch of border pattern

 

94x1.39           Kettle and coffee pot, with ebony handles, or option of ebony or ivory insulators with silver handles, designed for the U.S.S. Lexington

 

94x1.40           Four piece tea set of teapot, sugar, creamer, waste bowl, probably part of set in .39

 

94x1.42           #10298a, Serving kettle and stand, $375; kettle and trivet, $335

 

94x1.45           Tea pot on trivet, kettle on stand, sugar bowl with handles, creamer, and waste bowl

 

94x1.46           #10298a, Tray with border pattern, $600

 

94x1.47           Tray with simple incised line border and hand grip slots (side view also shown)

 

94x1.48           Tray with scalloped edge and handles (side view also shown)

 

94x1.49           #10298, Tray with scalloped edge and rectangular handles, $700

 

94x1.50           #17327, Tray with notes about construction (side view also shown)

 

BOARDS

 

94x1.41           Large covered two-handled bowl or cup, with two small cups and a plate or shallow bowl

 

94x1.43           Ewer decorated with sea nymphs and coral, “plaster was at 4 Clff Rd., discarded 9/56”

 

94x1.44           “Design of urn used in Virginia, Old Sheffield plate, capacity 16 pints,” on reverse: sketch of outline of body and base

 

 

Oversize:  Map Case D, drawer 2

 

94x1.51           #16763, Tray, shown with two different handles (side view also shown)

 

94x1.52           #16824, Tray (side view also shown)

 

94x1.53           Tray with festoon engraving, Jan. 21, 1926

 

94x1.54           Special tray for service 3028, refer to #16564

 

94x1.55           Tray, 24" (side view also shown)

 

94x1.57           Tray

 

94x1.58           Tray, 26 1/4"  Note: when ordering refer to #16763.  Also number 3026 (partial side view also shown)

 

94x1.59           Sterling silver salver, 30", engraved with a seal that includes a Revolutionary war soldier

 

94x1.60           Tray

 

94x1.61           #174887, scalloped tray with feet, shield with "A" in it, festoon border in the federal style

 

94x1.62           Tray, larger version of that in .62 (side view also shown)

 

BOARDS

 

94x1.56           Tray with feet and initials "FNG" (side view also shown)

 

94x1.66           Design for sterling silver oval tray (side view also shown)          

 

94x1.187         Candelabra

 

 

Oversize:  Map Case D, drawer 3

 

94x1.63           Tray

 

94x1.64           “Paul Revere Batwing” tray

 

94x1.65           Tray (side view also shown)

 

94x1.161         #17413, Lexington set-- Sketches of sugar bowl, waste, kettle on a stand, creamer, coffee pot, tea pot, all with dimensions; on back: outlines of bases

 

94x1.183         Candelabra with flame finial and crossed arms, 6 1/2 "

 

94x1.186         Candelabra, similar to .183 (blueprint)

 

94x1.189x        Blueprint of candelabra

 

94x1.189y        Blueprint of candelabra

 

94x1.189z        Blueprint of candelabra

 

94x1.365         Kettle, tea and coffee pots, sugar, creamer, waste bowl, and tea caddy

 

BOARDS

 

94x1.363         Silver candelabra, “5 lights and 4 arms, approximately $600. 7 lights and 6 arms, $800”

 

94x1.364         Cross, with symbols of the four Gospel writers.  Base available in different shapes.

 

 

 

Box 1: Tea kettles, urns and pots, creamers

 

Tea kettles, etc.:

 

Folder 1:

 

            94x1.1             Kettle on a stand for Miss Storer (?)

 

            94x1.2             #4330, kettle on stand

 

            94x1.3             “Colonial urn (round)”, on stand

 

            94x1.4             Urn with lion heads.  Signed G.E.G.

 

            94x1.5             Urn on a stand, with note: “separates and locks here”

 

            94x1.6             “#16 Urn,” $600; decoration on this design, $100

 

Folder 2:

 

            94x1.7             Kettle on stand; designed to match George III silver tea set by John Emes, London 1800

 

            94x1.8             Kettle. “designed for Mrs. W. S. Booth, Aug. 1937.  Called March 2, ‘38 stating this too large-- likes size of [illegible]Revere”

 

            94x1.9             Kettle on stand, with engraved design and wooden handle

           

            94x1.10           Urn on a stand

 

            94x1.11           #5127, kettle (probably copper), with an alteration in pencil to a watercolor drawing; labeled on back: Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston, see Mrs. Ropes

 

            94x1.12           Copper kettle on stand, shown in both pencil and watercolor

 

Folder 3:

 

            94x1.13           “Design for a kettle to match old English tea set for Dr. Terhune.  Similar to a sugar bowl by John Angell, London, George III-IV”

 

            94x1.14           Kettle on stand, for Mrs. B. Devereux Barker

 

            94x1.15           #17405, Windsor service kettle, engraved with initials M.L.  Note: “Redraw see G.E.G., have knobs same as flats(?)”

 

            94x1.16           Windsor water kettle, with drawing of regular hinge on reverse

 

            94x1.17           F88, kettle to match service #3252 with side swings

 

            94x1.18           #10298, Urn bearing the initials FNG, $600

 

            94x1.19           Kettle on stand

 

            94x1.20           #2736, Kettle engraved by McSmall; Instructions for engraving tray for tea pot to match this style of ornament as indicated with festoons,border, and shield.  Engraving to copy old tea pot, August 17.

 

            94x1.21           Kettle on stand

 

Folder 4:

 

            94x1.22           #21411, kettle on stand, with ivory knob, for Gardener, July, 1928

 

            94x1.23           Kettle on stand

 

            94x1.24           #26646, rough sketch of sugar, creamer, waste bowl, and teapot

 

            94x1.25           "Motley" kettle on stand

 

            94x1.26           Round urn from Paul Revere

 

            94x1.27           Fluted urn from Paul Revere

 

            94x1.28           Kettle on stand, with ivory handle and knobs; design of cover and top of the kettle; after a teapot by John Scofield, London

 

            94x1.29           #28203, kettle on stand, for McNulty, with shield engraved on it.

 

Folder 5:

 

            94x1.30           #55167, stand for kettle, Mrs. H.B. Dickerman and Mrs. H.P. King, Manchester, Mass., with notations for making alterations

 

            94x1.31           Kettle and stand, a corrected version of 94x1.30

 

            94x1.32           #34757, handle and lid of tea pot

 

            94x1.33           #34757, handle and lid of tea pot, with corrected sketch for ebony handle

 

            94x1.34           #34757, kettle on stand; with notes: this shape for ebony handle; 7/10/33 Proud, to match teapot by R. Wallace & Son

 

BOARDS:  Creamers   

 

            94x1.35           #30301, Creamer, to be engraved, decoration to copy to sugar bowl

           

            94x1.36           Creamer, the name Harrison appears on the paper

 

            94x1.37           Creamer, initial "G" on front, initials BN on back, in the Revere style

 

 

 

 Box 2: Tea kettles, urns and pots; water pitchers

 

Tea kettles, urns and pots:

 

Folder 1:

           

            89x17.1           Kettle on stand

 

            89x17.8           Kettle on stand, $125

 

            89x17.10         Kettle on stand, EBN on the back

 

            89x17.48         Kettle on stand, with index card stating “Design not made”

 

            89x17.49         Kettle on stand, round or oval

 

Folder 2:         

 

            89x17.2           Kettle on stand, with "C" in corner of paper, rough sketch of water kettle drawn on back

 

            89x17.3           Kettle on stand, Mrs. Graham T. Winslow, Chestnut Hill

 

            89x17.13         Kettle on stand, DR#95 standard, this design, DR #421; with variation of stand drawn on back

 

            89x17.42         Kettle on stand, with dimensions given, "Motley"

 

            89x17.43         Pencil sketch of a kettle on stand

 

            89x17.44         #1782, kettle on stand, “Cotton,” with notes about available variations

                                    [designed or made for Mrs. Joseph Cotton, whose husband was under-secretary of state for President Coolidge]

 

            89x17.45         #21708, Oval, fluted kettle on stand, with additional sketches on back

 

            89x17.60         Kettle on stand

 

            89x17.66         Kettle on stand

 

Folder 3: Water pitchers:

 

            89x17.4           Water pitcher

           

            89x17.20         #414, Water pitcher, sterling silver $200

 

            89x17.29         Water pitcher

 

            89x17.32         Water pitcher, 3 1/2 pints

 

            89x17.35         Water pitcher with sketch of a tray; on back: sketch of a lid

 

            89x17.36         “Thayer” water pitcher, initials "IB" on back

 

            89x17.38         “Copp (?)”water pitcher, with initials "AN" on back

 

            89x17.50         Water pitcher

 

            89x17.67         Water pitcher with tray, letter "B" on front

 

            89x17.79         Water pitcher, 3 1/2 pints, with two 7" trays sketched on back

 

 

Box 3: Tea sets, including tea pots and accessories

 

Folder 1:

 

            94x1.67           Tea pot, with detail of lid, with pineapple finial, after a Paul Revere original, $256.00. On back: sketches of tray and coffee pot, as well as dimensions and prices of all pieces shown, plus pieces not shown, such as sugar and creamer, etc.

 

            94x1.68           Tea pot with c-scroll handle; curved spout

 

            94x1.69           "Design for tea pot in sterling silver to match sugar and creamer that I made for Mrs. Lucien Howe"

 

            94x1.72           Tea pot with etched pattern

 

            94x1.73           Coffee pot, after John Schofield.  “JHG thought the set was never made, the coffee pot the only original piece.  This coffee pot drawing was … hung in the shop in 1984.”

 

            94x1.74           #29913, tea pot to match sugar and creamer for Mrs. Anthony Bell, 1935

 

Folder 2:

 

            94x1.75           Tea pot, Moulton (?)

 

            94x1.76           Tea pot with pineapple finial

 

            94x1.77           Tea pot, with round body and wooden finial

 

            94x1.78           #23315, Tea pot for Harrison, May 24, 1929

 

            94x1.79x          #39620, Tea pot for Mrs. P.R. Sharples, Camb., 1935            

 

            94x1.79y          Tea pot with etched design and c-scroll handle

 

Folder 3:

 

            94x1.86           #17863, Creamer and sugar

 

            94x1.87           #27138, Creamer and sugar

 

            94x1.89           #10278B, Tea set, with sketches of tea pot, tray, creamer, and sugar; and prices of the above as well as other pieces: waste, tea caddy, and coffee pot.  Photograph #3252.  Note indicates the order was cancelled

 

            94x1.90           #28203, Tea set, with sketches of waste bowl and tea pot, various notes, Sept. 1930

 

BOARDS

 

            94x1.70           Tea pot with wooden handle

 

            94x1.71           Tea pot with gilt finial

 

            94x1.80           #38737, sugar and creamer

 

            94x1.81           #24041, sketch of sugar bowl and rough outline of creamer, with notes about an entire tea set

 

            94x1.82           #25647, Tea caddy, for Harrison

 

            94x1.83           Sugar and creamer

 

            94x1.84           #9675, Creamer with feet

 

            94x1.85           #9675, Waste bowl, Morse, 1924

 

            94x1.88           #2315, 4 piece tea set (tea pot, creamer, sugar, waste bowl), J. Coburn, adaptation of original tea pot design

 

.

 

Box 4: Tea sets, including tea pots and accessories

 

Folder 1:

           

            94x1.91           "Revere" tea set with options for a square or round base (original square).  Hooked handle on the creamer, tea pot, and waste bowl

 

            94x1.92           3 piece tea set with coffee pot and sugar with lid.  Taller than Revere, but same engraving and same handle.

 

            94x1.93           Kettle on a stand with same engraving (tassel/swag) as .92

 

            94x1.94           Waste bowl

 

            94x1.95           Sugar bowl with lid, and creamer

 

            94x1.96           Teapot and sugar with lid, for Dr. Storer, April 17, ‘31.  Prices for these as well as for pieces are given

 

 

Folder 2

 

            94x1.103         Advertisement for "A Family Tea Service from the shop of Gebelein, designer and maker to private order of exclusive hand-fashioned silver,” n.d.  The picture in the ad shows a tray, coffee and tea pots, kettle on stand, creamer, sugar bowl, and waste bowl.

 

            94x1.104         Urn shaped coffee pot, sugar with round base, and a pitcher (?) with a lid

 

            94x1.105         Tea pot, waste and creamer, to match the items in .104 above

 

            94x1.106         #4330, Tea pot, sugar, creamer; “Robert Adams & Brother Period”

 

            94x1.107         Creamer, waste bowl, and sugar

 

            94x1.108         “Design for oval tea & coffee service in sterling silver for Miss Alice Garfield”

 

            94x1.109         Creamer, waste, sugar

 

            94x1.110         Tea and coffee pots, one has an "x" beneath it

 

BOARDS

 

            94x1.97           #17445, Body of what could be a tea pot, with half sd wire inside

 

            94x1.98           #17440, creamer, with detail of handle, “as made for Burnhouse (?)”

 

            94x1.99           Tea pot with pineapple finial, engraved top; body 13 3/4" long.  [OB]

 

            94x1.100         #4330, creamer and sugar with handles.  Dimensions given for these and also for “black coffee”

 

            94x1.101         #17445, Body with handles, possibly a sugar bowl 

 

            94x1.102         #4330, Coffee pot with "A" engraved in shield, sketches on back with dimensions

 

 

 

Box 5: Tea sets, including tea pots and accessories

 

Folder 1:

 

            94x1.111         #27869, Sketches for creamer, sugar, and bases for them, for McNulty

 

            94x1.112         #27869, Coffee pot sketch with ivory finial on lid, ivory handle, tapered body

 

            94x1.113         [number not used]

 

            94x1.114         #27869, Tea & coffee pots, with ivory handles, "coffee teapot by John Scofield, London"

 

            94x1.116         #27869, Tea pot with ivory handle, creamer, and sugar, "George III London, 1779-1783, John Scofield

 

            94x1.118         Tea pot “copied from an old tea pot date 1780, London.”  "May be made taller to this line"  Ebony handle, ebony knob or black ivory, $210

 

            94x1.119         #32146, 3 bowls, two engraved and one plain.  Suggestions for #32146 for Mr. T.J. Coolidge, May 1, 1932; also a sketch on the back

 

            94x1.120         Tea pot with ebony knob and handle

 

            94x1.121         Tea pot and tray (or trivet).  Note: “make a coat of arms”

 

            94x1.122         Kettle on stand for Mrs. Lloyd B. Anderson (Rosamund Fiske).  Note: “use the body for kettle, different stand, use side swings”

 

            94x1.123         Creamer, sugar, and waste bowl

 

Folder 2:

 

            94x1.124         Kettle on stand, engraved with "P" in a shield, signed Gebelein

 

            94x1.125         Kettle on stand, signed Gebelein

 

            94x1.126         Pieces for a tea set: creamer, waste bowl, sugar bowl with lid (or tea caddy), and another bowl (or a sugar without a lid), engraved with "P" in a shield.  With note: “Engrave only the border, call me about covers, do not engrave shields”

 

            94x1.127