Burr Sebring has a long history of designing silverware and silver pieces in Rhode Island. After serving in the army, Sebring attended the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of American Craftsmen. While there, he won a national competition in silversmithing. That fortuitous occasion set his path to leaving a grand design legacy in flatware design.
Upon graduating from RIT, Sebring was hired on the spot at Gorham Manufacturing Company, a global silverware powerhouse founded in 1831. Gorham’s legacy includes using the industry’s first Steam Powered Drop press in the United States and being the sole supplier of Tiffany & Co.’s silverware during their time. For the decades leading up to the 20th century, Gorham was at every international fair and won numerous awards.
In 1972, after fourteen years as a designer, Sebring was promoted to Design Director where he stayed until his departure from Gorham in 1981. During his time at Gorham, he crafted several award winning sets and worked globally for over a year across several different Asian countries. In his time at Gorham and after, Sebring has been handcrafting quality silver pieces and silverware sets that enhance the dining experience for their owners.
Sebring’s designs are not just beautiful, they’re a homage to Northeastern culture. Designs of this nature often reflect the different geographical essence, and with this, Sebring’s silverware designs reflect the rustic simplicity present in Northeastern design.
Sebring has been featured in museums across the country, including the RISD Museum of Art. He has designed silverware and decorative silver pieces throughout his entire career, and today, Sebring continues his silversmithing independently at Burr Sebring Designs Limited located at his home in Barrington, RI. Sebring’s most recent projects include a working model ferris wheel which he is in the process of donating to a children’s hospital in Rhode Island. Ultimately, he is trying to realize his dream of getting Providence its own ferris wheel.