About Baker-Manchester

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In the early 1900s, Providence, Rhode Island, was a city thick with industry. Textile mills shook the streets with their machinery, jewelry shops clattered with hammers, and the glow of metalwork carried late into the night. It was in that setting, around 1914, that Baker-Manchester Manufacturing Company began its work in silver.<br><br> The company focused on sterling flatware, holloware, and small novelties. From the start, detail was its strength. The designs were carefully made, but what caught people’s attention was a line of flatware known as the Floral Series (I). Each piece carried a flower: Water Lily, Violet, Poppy. The patterns had a delicacy that fit the tastes of the time, when tableware was expected to carry both function and a touch of refinement. Collectors today still point to these patterns as the company’s defining work.<br><br> Baker-Manchester didn’t last long. It entered the market during a time of opportunity, but also uncertainty. The 1920s brought growth, yet by the early 1930s, the country’s economy had collapsed. Mid-sized firms had little room to maneuver, and Baker-Manchester was no exception. The company managed to keep going into the Depression years, but only briefly, before disappearing from the industry altogether.<br><br> What endures is the silver itself. The firm is long gone, but its work continues to surface. A spoon or serving dish marked with their name isn’t just a piece of tableware; it’s a glimpse into American silversmithing at a moment when craftsmanship and ornament still held an important place in everyday life.