Silver
The state’s silver collection contains over 300 pieces, the majority of which were crafted by the celebrated silversmiths at Samuel Kirk & Son, Inc. of Baltimore, Maryland. The highlight of the silver collection, is the USS Maryland silver service on permanent loan form the U.S. Navy. This forty-eight piece set was made by Samuel Kirk & Son in 1906, and depicts 167 scenes from the history of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City.
In 2010, the Commission on Artistic Property received a portion of the repoussé silver service given to Murray Vandiver in April 1900. The service was commissioned by the Maryland Democratic Party in honor of Vandiver’s election as state treasurer and retirement as party chairman.
In addition to bearing the initials “MV,” many of the serving pieces are engraved “Presented to Murray Vandiver as a testimonial of confidence and gratitude and in public acknowledgement of his untiring and successful work as Chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee in reorganizing the Democratic Party and leading it to victory November 7th, 1899”.
In addition to commissioned works, the state art collection also contains sterling silver tea and coffee services made by Maryland silversmiths. Many of these services and pieces are on display and used for formal dinners and celebratory events at Government House, the official residence of the governor of Maryland.
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