Shreve & Co Large Sterling Mahogany Glass Overlay Gallery Tray c.1930

Produced by the famous Shreve & Co of San Francisco in the very early 20th century, this impressively large Sterling silver gallery tray is truly outstanding. The two handled tray has a mahogany base with an intricate, beautifully detailed inlaid design to the center and the generous, solid sterling silver 2 1/2” gallery rim is decorated by a sinuous design of overlaid silver reflecting the Art Nouveau style of the time. The original 4mm thick glass overlay fits like a glove with very minor frets to one area (see picture), and which are hardly noticeable. The mahogany Tray itself and motif in middle retain great colour and no wear. American economy and jewelers George C. Shreve and his nephew Samuel S. Shreve joined the thousands flocking to America’s new “Gold Coast” to seek their fortune in San Francisco. In 1852, the pair opened the doors to the new Shreve Jewelry Company at 110 Montgomery Street on the corner of Clay Street. By the 1860s, Shreve & Co. had established its reputation as the finest silver and goldsmith in America. Many of the company’s spectacular pieces were collected by presidents, business tycoons, and prominent families. These same pieces now reside in museums and private collections around the world including a 10-inch tall solid gold Teddy Bear commissioned as a gift by the citizens of San Francisco for Teddy Roosevelt. Before the turn of the century, Shreve & Co. became the second jeweler in the United States to represent Patek Philippe in 1887. As long as luxury Swiss timepieces have been provided to the United States, Shreve & Co. has been at the forefront. Already an established retailer of fine jewellery, Shreve & Co in San Francisco began producing equally outstanding sterling silver in 1901. The mark on this tray is simply ‘Shreve & Co-Sterling’, which can be seen on the majority of pieces made in the first quarter of the 20th century before the mark also started to include ‘San Francisco’.