Y A William Spratling sterling silver and ebony dish
William Spratling (1900-1967)
Circa 1956-1962, Third Design Period; Taxco, Mexico
Stamped for William Spratling and sterling
With an offset oval sterling silver top with matching oval ebony base
1.125" H x 5" W x 3" D
3.53 oz. troy approximately
Provenance: The Collection of William Spratling
Ralph Hammond, Birmingham, AL, acquired from the above, 1960s
By descent to the present owner+

Exhibition: Birmingham, AL, Birmingham Museum of Art, "Mexico Past and Present of Art," April 23-May 18, 1965

Other Notes: Ralph Hammond (1916-2010), Poet+Laureate Emeritus of Alabama and president of the Alabama State Poetry Society, was a personal friend of William Spratling. The Hammond family traveled several times to visit Spratling at his Taxco home and workshop. On December 14, 1962, Ralph Hammond served as an escort for Spratling during the conferral of his honorary doctorate, Doctor of Humane Letters, from Auburn University. Their relationship would span many years, and the pieces offered in this auction reflect his purchases directly from William Spratling during this time.

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Overall good condition with tarnishing and light scratches commensurate with age. Condition reports are offered as a courtesy and are typically published in Moran's catalogue or can be made available upon request. The absence of a condition report does not imply that an item is free from defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of others. Buyers are responsible for determining to their own satisfaction the true nature and condition of any lot prior to bidding. Though buyers are not legally required to inspect lots prior to purchase, failure to do so may constitute a waiver of complaint that an item was not delivered in a condition equal to the existent condition at the auction.