Alexandra Solowij Watkns was born in Poland in 1933 and arrived at the SMFA in the mid 1950s, after training in Montreal. She designed and made this tea set and a chocolate pot as part of her studies at the museum. Although after graduation, Watkins, as a foreign student, had to return to Montreal, the tea set was exhibited at the school and attracted the attention of an executive at Gorham. The company hired her as a designer and provided the necessary immigration papers.
As a designer for Gorham, Watkins was one of several artist-craftspeople, including John Prip and Mary Ann Scherr, who collaborated with the company designers to create modernist objects for mass consumption. One of her designs was s silver plated "bateau" centerpiece (2004.205) produced in 1959-60. Watkins became an American citizen and later focused on jewelry, represented in the Museum's collection by a brooch (1005.749). Since 1968, she has been affiliated with the Atelier Janiye gallery in Boston as a jeweler and, since 1982, as a co-owner.
This text has been adapted from "Silver of the Americas, 1600-2000," edited by Jeannine Falino and Gerald W.R. Ward, published in 2008 by the MFA. Complete references can be found in that publication.

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