The technique of electroplating was in practice in the United States by 1840, two years after it was patented by George and Henry Elkington of the English firm of Elkington & Co. Prior to the Civil War, American silverplate manufacturers primarily produced simple objects, such as flatware, and rarely attempted complex compositions. This Gothic Revival cruet stand, manufactured by Roswell Gleason & Sons, represents the high point of antebellum silverplate due to its size and intricate decoration and construction. While the body rotates on the base, the knob turns the six doors to reveal compartments reminiscent of architectural niches that hold various condiment bottles.

Adapted from

DMA unpublished material.

• KERA
  Read about nano-scale tests conducted on the DMA's collection of silverplate, including this cruet stand.

• Brooklyn Museum
  View the model for this cruet stand submitted by Edward Gleason to the Patent Office.

• Metropolitan Museum of Art
  Read more about Nineteenth-Century American Silver.