Louis XVI Pattern Salad Fork
ca. 1909
Medium
cutlery
Classification
cutlery
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Joy Newport Jepson
Accession Number
1991-117-4
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This salad fork, created circa 1909 by Joseph E. Birmingham, represents the Louis XVI Pattern in American cutlery. The name evokes the elegant neoclassical style of late-18th-century France, with its emphasis on symmetry, refined lines, and classical motifs that conveyed grace and order. In the early 20th century, American designers frequently revived historical European aesthetics for decorative objects, including tableware. A specialized salad fork like this one illustrates how everyday dining items were elevated through thoughtful design, blending function with artistic tradition. Held in ...