Collection Highlights
Fire engine condenser case
1830-1840
1937.1631
Wood, paint, gilding
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Museum Collections
Luce Center
Ice cream dish
Object name
Ice cream dish
Date
1877-1878
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Overall: 6 1/4 x 15 3/8 in. ( 15.9 x 39.1 cm )
Description
Wrought silver and gilt ice cream dish in an Indian design; shallow, almost flat, circular body with a wide, lobed rim; each lobe repouss
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. John Mackay
Object Number
1980.14
Marks
wrought: applied to rim: "M L M" in foliate roman letters
stamped: on the base: "TIFFANY & Co/ 4878 MAKERS 5635/ STERLING-SILVER/ 925-1000/ M"
engraved: on the base: "207/ _/ 5"
Gallery Label
This ice cream dish was part of an extravagant 1,250-piece dinner service made by Tiffany & Co. for John W. and Marie Louise Mackay. In 1873, "Silver King" John Mackay discovered the Comstock Lode, a vast silver deposit in Virginia City, Nevada, and he had the service made from half a ton of silver extracted from the mine. It was the largest and most ornate service of the Gilded Age. Reportedly, two hundred craftsmen worked on the service exclusively for two years.
Provenance
Marie Louise Hungerford Mackay (1843-1928); her son Clarence Hungerford Mackay (1874-1938); his son John William Mackay (1907-1988).
Due to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.
