A novelty coin silver “chicken-legs” creamer and sugar bowl, pattern #0110, by Gorham, inscribed 1859.
This pattern was made famous by Mrs Abraham Lincoln who purchased a 3 piece set on entering the White House. That set is now in the Smithsonian, and is also illustrated in Carpenter's book on Gorham silver, page 58.
Beautifully executed with exceedingly fine engraving and chasing.
The set is inscribed in script:”MPY Christmas 1859”
According to the provenance that I have the complete set was given to Mary Polk Yeatman by Lucius Junius Polk, who was a cousin of President Polk, at Christmas 1859.
The set was purchased from Mary Jane Yeatman Whiteside , who was born in Hamilton Place Mansion, and is directly related to Lucius Polk.
According to my research, Lucius Polk built Hamilton Place Mansion in Tennessee in 1831. I am presuming Mary Polk Yeatman was his daughter who lived there after her marriage to Henry Clay Yeatman in 1858. For a period it did become the family home of the Polks and the Yeatmans. She definitely died there in 1890.
The condition is faultless. It has obviously been treasured, showing virtually no signs of use.
Dimensions: Heights of sugar bowl 6.75”, cream jug 4.75”. Total weight 11.6 Troy oz.