San Francisco Museum and Historical Society Silver Holiday Tea December 10, 2010

Silver, as much as gold, was instrumental in turning a frontier boomtown into a metropolis whose leading citizens were bankers, speculators, and lawyers. It was the Comstock Lode in Nevada that spawned an important financial and banking system in San Francisco, one that flourished around the frenzied trading of Comstock shares and eventually underwrote the continuing growth of the city.

Much of that silver was coined at the Old Mint so it is appropriate that silver takes center stage at the Old Mint for the second annual SFMHS Holiday Tea, now the SFMHS Silver Holiday Tea, to reflect the beautiful serving pieces that will be used.

Tea is served!

Rare antique silver tea sets will be featured at this year's tea on Friday, December 10, including a Thomas Starr King tea service, circa 1858; a "Medallion" tea service, circa 1865; and a Shreve hammered tea set, circa 1905. Other silver items will also be used for the serving of food.

The tea will be held in the two ornate Counting Rooms with two tea times: 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Host and hostess for the Silver Holiday Tea are two members of the SFMHS Board of Directors, David Zisser and Ink Mendelsohn. The glittering array of silver is the generous contribution of native San Franciscan Rafer Goorwitch, a collector of rare antique silver pieces.

Goorwitch started his pursuit of silver with the gift on his 18th birthday; a dinner fork made by Gorham & Co., a fork in the "Medallion" pattern that was given to a friend on her wedding. That pattern was one of the first patented designs in American silver, dating back to 1864.

Cost of the tea is $65 for SFMHS members; $75 for non-members. Tickets may be purchased below or by calling 415 537-1105, ext. 100, during normal business hours. Please be sure to indicate your tea time: 1 or 3 p.m.

Official Website: http://www.sfhistory.org/