A Tiffany & Co. American Indian Pattern Bear Dance Motif Silver Crumber Designed by Charles T. Grosjean, New York, designed 1884 Marks: M, TIFFANY & CO, STERLING, 641, PAT. 1884 13-3/4 inches (34.9 cm) 7.02 troy ounces PROPERTY FROM A SOUTHERN COLLECTION The crumber, in the rare American Indian pattern, with cast figure of a Native American dancer in bear costume to handle terminal and engraved geometric motifs drawn from Native American artifacts to the handle and blade, also with engraved monogram MB. Tiffany & Co.'s American Indian is an extremely rare pattern with only one known full dinner service, commissioned by publishing magnate and collector William Randolph Hearst in the 1890s. The multi-motif pattern featured twelve terminal iterations depicting Native American dancers and buffalo. The design, drafted by Charles T. Grosjean, was inspired by "Caitlin's Illustrations of North American Indians" and "Objects from the National Museum, Washington, D.C.," according to surviving literature in the company's archives. HID03101062020 © 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved