Whiting Manufacturing Company : a history of the firm and its Japanese-inspired silver (1860-1890)

Abstract

Whiting Manufacturing Company (1866-1924) was among the most prolific and commercially successful American producers of silver in the Japanesque style, along with Tiffany and Company and Gorham Manufacturing Company. This thesis was undertaken after preliminary research revealed incomplete, or in some cases incorrect, knowledge in the field about Whiting Manufacturing Company. This thesis establishes an accurate timeline of the firm, a better understanding of its Japanese-inspired production, its manufacturing locations and most importantly the identities of the designers who created its Japanese-inspired designs.