International Sterling Craft Associates designs in collections, at auction, in exhibitions, design brochures and historical information

ADC staff
artdesigncafé - design | Design Meriden | 31 March 2016 | Updated 17 June 2020

"In 1952, [the International Silver Company] established a craft shop that became known as International Sterling Craft Associates. [Alphonse] La Paglia, who had been a student of the Danish silversmith Georg Jensen, and whose work shows his influence, was an active participant in the venture until his death a year later. Subsequently International acquired his designs for production. In 1955 Kurt Eric Christoffersen was hired by International to invigorate the undertaking and his work along with that of La Paglia was promoted in the catalogue International Sterling Craft Associates with La Paglia and Christoffersen as the exclusive Craft Associates... Their works were distinguished by their mark, as La Paglia Designed or Christoffersen Designed."

— Jewel Stern in Modernism in American silver (2005), p. 353. See below.

Info/photo status:

= info and photo online
= info online, no photo
= completely offline

A. International Sterling Craft Associates (founded 1952) designs in collections (by year)

1950s

c. 1952 - La Paglia-designed compote

Alphonse La Paglia for International Sterling Craft Associates / International Silver Company. (designed c. 1952). Compote. Silver. (Accession no. 2012.60. Viewed 31 March 2016. A00205.)

Photo - Dallas Museum of Art.

1955 - Christoffersen-designed pair of candlesticks

Kurt Eric Christoffersen for International Sterling Craft Associates / (ISC). (1955). Pair of candlesticks. Sterling silver. (Accession no. 2015.135.2.1-.2. Viewed 31 March 2017. A01870.)

Photo - Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT.

1955 - Christoffersen-designed salts with spoons

Kurt Eric Christoffersen for International Sterling Craft Associates / (ISC). (1955). Salts with spoons ("Continental"). Silver. Accession no. 2014.50.2.1.A-B-.4.A-B. (Viewed 24 April 2016. D00069.)

Photo - Dallas Museum of Art.

1955- Christoffersen-designed bowl

Kurt Eric Christoffersen for International Sterling Craft Associates / (ISC). (1955). Sugar bowl ("Continental"). Silver. (Accession no. 2013.33.3.A-B. Viewed 24 April 2016. D00428.)

Photo - Dallas Museum of Art.

Typically, any design patents utilized by an International Silver Company division or brand were assigned to the International Silver Company. (See the ISC historical documentation page).

1955 - Christoffersen-designed creamer

Kurt Eric Christoffersen for International Sterling Craft Associates / (ISC). (1955). Creamer ("Continental"). Silver and plastic. (Accession no. 2013.33.2. Viewed 24 April 2016. D00429.)

Photo - Dallas Museum of Art.

1955 - Christoffersen-designed coffee pot

Kurt Eric Christoffersen for International Sterling Craft Associates / (ISC). (1955). Coffee pot ("Continental"). Silver and plastic. (Accession no. 2013.33.1.A-B. Viewed 24 April 2016. D00430.)

Photo - Dallas Museum of Art.

c. 1955 - two Christoffersen-designed candlesticks

Kurt Eric Christoffersen for International Sterling Craft Associates / (ISC). (designed 1955). Two candlesticks. Silver. (Accession no. 2002.29.72.1-2. Viewed 4 April 2016. B00106-07.)

Photos - Dallas Museum of Art (candlestick 1; 2).

c. 1955 - Christoffersen-designed bowl

Kurt Eric Christoffersen for International Sterling Craft Associates / (ISC). (c. 1955). Mayonnaise bowl ("Continental"). Silver. (Accession no. 2014.50.1. Viewed 24 April 2016. D00068.)

Photo - Dallas Museum of Art.

B. International Sterling Craft Associates designs at auction

1950s

1955 - Christoffersen-designed decanter set

Kurt Eric Christoffersen for International Sterling Crafts Associates / (ISC). (1955). "Continental" decanter set. Sterling silver. (Viewed 7 May 2016. D00092.)

Photo - Sotheby’s New York - Important 20th century design (17 DEC 2014).

Click the following link to see designs and documentation for other historical silver companies from the Meriden area, and those that were connected to the International Silver Company; go to the historical Meriden design overview page and scroll down to section D: "ISC, predecessors & divisions" and E: "Other featured companies".

C. International Sterling Craft Associates designs in exhibitions

2000s

2005-07 - Dallas Museum of Art travelling exhibition

5 venues: 2005-07. Modernism in American Silver: 20th-Century Design. (Viewed 21 March 2016. A00140.)

> Exhibition venues: Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC; Nevada Museum of Art, Reno; Dallas Museum of Art; The Wolfsonian, Miami Beach, FL; The Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis, TN.

Photos - Dallas Museum of Art installation;
Exhibition catalogue at Yale University library (by Jewel Stern). (See worldcat.org for other locations);
Online - interview of curator Jewel Stern, [Design Meriden at artdesigncafe.com, 1(2), 2016].

See other exhibitions noted as including unspecified International Silver Company designs (1952-present). At this developing research point, International Sterling Craft Associates designs could have been exhibited in some of these exhibitions.

See our Design Meriden compilation listing over 1000 exhibitions since 1851, featuring historical design associated with the Meriden area.

D. International Sterling Craft Associates designs catalogues and historical information

Material status:

= online
= link to more info
= completely offline

1950s

1952 - price list

International Sterling Craft Associates / International Silver Co. (1952). [Retail price list]. (Viewed 30 July 2018. C00200-05).

Offline - Meriden Historical Society, Meriden, CT.

1952 - price list

International Sterling Craft Associates / International Silver Company. (1952). [International Sterling La Paglia designed price list (holloware), July 1, 1952]. (Viewed 31 July 2018. C00201-01).

Offline - Meriden Historical Society, Meriden, CT.

c. 1952-56 - photo catalog

International Sterling Craft Associates / International Silver Co. (c. 1952-56). [8 x 10" photo catalog - La Paglia holloware]. 42 pp. [Viewed 30 July 2018. C00200-08(-11)].

Offline - Meriden Historical Society, Meriden, CT. (Possibly three additional photo catalogs like this at this site.)

1954 - design brochure

International Sterling Craft Associates / International Silver Co. (1954). A superb collection of sterling hollow ware and jewelry [La Paglia designed]. 8 pp. (Viewed 30 July 2018. C00200-06).

Offline - Meriden Historical Society, Meriden, CT.

c. 1954 - design booklet

International Sterling Craft Associates / International Silver Co. (c. 1954). [La Paglia- and Christoffersen-designed holloware and jewelry.] 28 pp. (Viewed 30 July 2018. C00200-07).

Offline - Meriden Historical Society, Meriden, CT.

1954 - price list

International Sterling Craft Associates / International Silver Company. (1954). [International Sterling La Paglia designed price list (jewelry), April 1, 1954]. (Viewed 31 July 2018. C00201-02).

Offline - Meriden Historical Society, Meriden, CT.

c. 1954-56 - photo catalog

International Sterling Craft Associates / International Silver Company. (1956). [8 x 10" photo catalog — La Paglia and Christoffersen jewelry]. (Four other "photo catalogs", with the same heading, may show more designs.) [Viewed 31 July 2018. C00201-07(-11)].

Offline - Meriden Historical Society, Meriden, CT.

1955 - price list

International Sterling Craft Associates / International Silver Company. (1955). [International Sterling La Paglia designed confidential dealer price list (hollowware), June 1, 1955]. (Viewed 31 July 2018. C00201-03).

Offline - Meriden Historical Society, Meriden, CT.

1956 - price list

International Sterling Craft Associates / International Silver Company. (1956). [La Paglia jewelry overstock price list 1956]. (Viewed 31 July 2018. C00201-04).

Offline - Meriden Historical Society, Meriden, CT.

1956 - price list

International Sterling Craft Associates / International Silver Company. (1956). [International Sterling La Paglia designed confidential dealer price list, January 1, 1956]. (Viewed 31 July 2018. C00201-05).

Offline - Meriden Historical Society, Meriden, CT.

1956 - price list

International Sterling Craft Associates / International Silver Company. (1956). [International Sterling Christoffersen designed confidential dealer price list, January 1, 1956]. (Viewed 31 July 2018. C00201-06).

Offline - Meriden Historical Society, Meriden, CT.

2000s

2004 - encyclopedia entry

Rainwater, Dorothy T.; Fuller, Martin; Fuller, Collette. (2004). "Alphonse La Paglia", International Sterling Craft Associates, International Silver Company, (p. 136 and photo of coffee service design). Encyclopedia of American silver manufacturers, (revised and expanded 5th ed.). Schiffer Publishing: Atglen, PA. (Viewed 17 August 2017. A02929a; A02929b.)

Online - Boston Public Library - archive.org. (Email-based registration required.)