| In the year 1900, the Gorham Manufacturing Company became the premier manufacturer of fine metal products in both America and Europe at the Paris Exposition of 1900. Although up to this point Gorham's leadership in silver manufacture had come about through its innovation and skill with machinery, the firm entered a whole new sphere of production when it introduced a line at the Exposition that appeared to contradict all that had made it a success--the Martele line of hand-crafted wares.;An investigation of the genesis of the Martele line will explore the commercial strategy of Gorham under Edward Holbrook and his chief designer William Codman, how the product was made available to the public by both the company and its retailers, and attempt to reach some conclusions regarding why Martele had such a brief period of popularity. This narrative explores the effect of World Exhibitions, print advertising, new methods of display in luxury department stores, the effect of economic and consumer changes upon Gorham and, the introduction and marketing of its premier line. (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
