More than 70 services, valued in excess of $125,000 will be shown, including designs by Gorham, International, Lunt, Reed and Barton, Tiffany and Wallace. Individual sets range in price from $150 to $10,000.
Among the many pieces in the spectacular display that reflects much of the nation's design history, is the famed "Unfinished Masterpiece," a hand-made coffee server crafted in 1918 by the noted Henry Arnold of the Gorham Silver Co.
Commenting upon the comprehensive exhibition, Victor Paul, president of the Wiss stores, points out that "In our present age of automation and mass production, the skill of the silver artisan represents one of the last great American media of artistic expression available to lovers of fine works of art and beauty in every economic strata."
"In keeping with what we feel is our responsibility, we have assembled these sets from all over the country and are placing them on public display so that residents of this area may become better acquainted with the variety and beauty available to meet almost everyone's budget."