This early coin silver presentation pitcher seems unusually ornate for a Gorham product of the time. It stands about 7.5" high (9" to the top of the handle). With the exception of the presentation field, it's decorated thoughout right down to tiny dots between the floral and traditional decor. It features a fish (dolphin?) with a fan tail forming the spout. It has the early Gorham hallmarks but no production number making me think this may have been a custom order. It weighs an even 900 grams (about 29 Tr Oz). The pitcher has a dark patina. The engraving would pop better if polished, but I'm leaving that up to the buyer. There are some minor signs of wear and the pitcher has a little wobble. Base may be slightly pushed in at the front.

The pitcher was given to a Bessie McRae by E.M. Boykin in 1859. Edward Mortimer Boykin was the son-in-law of General Wade Hampton. He was also a physician that was elected on September 21, 1861 as 1st Lieutenant, Mounted Squadron of Rifles and promoted to Captain on Sept. 21st, 1862. In 1864 his company became Company K 7th Regiment of SC Calvary. He later became a Major and a Lt. Colonel near war's end. He later wrote stories about the war including "The Falling Flag" telling about the evacuation of Richmond, retreat and surrender at Appomattox. There is a lot of information available on Dr. Boykin.

I'm not sure who Bessie McRae was, but the Boykins and the McRaes had many ties back to the colonial days with marriage, businesses, land holdings in Camden South Carolina and Alabama, etc.  One of Dr. Boykin's daughters even had the middle name McRae. Dr. Boykin wrote a book of the Boykin family history, perhaps the answer is in there. The pitcher was later given to Coralie F(?) Davis in 1897 and then to Coralie D. Honey in 1921. 

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