The Story of Silver in Savannah: Creating and Collecting Since the 18th Century

This exhibition catalog examines the important role Savannah played in the production and collection of silver in Georgia’s largest coastal city.

With some exceptions, silver manufacturing in Savannah lasted approximately a century, from the second half of the eighteenth century to just before the Civil War. However, collecting the precious metal in its decorative form continues to the present. Building on the Telfair Museum of Art’s Savannah-related silver holdings, this exhibition catalog features pieces from numerous public and private collections containing Savannah-made silver as well as wares made in America and Europe.

Adding to the Telfair’s growing body of work on Savannah’s material culture, The Story of Silver in Savannah features more than one hundred color photographs of pieces of silver connected to the city. With discussions and portraits of simple spoons made by Savannah silversmiths, elaborate tea sets and dinnerwares owned by historic Savannah families, and contemporary collections that feature important examples of American and English silver, this catalog explores the evolving relationship between this prized metal and the inhabitants of Savannah.