These Companies Are Saving Southern Classics

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These Companies Are Saving Southern Classics

The Silver Set

Maker: Lawrence Miller, of Alexandria & Company
Locale: Alexandria, Virginia

When asked to guess the occupation of a forty-something in 2020, “master silversmith” may not be the first thing to spring to mind. But that’s exactly the level of talent Lawrence Miller possesses. The pieces he creates in his Alexandria, Virginia, shop range from Jefferson cups made from a single sheet of sterling silver, in the style of wine vessels beloved by the third president, to practical pitchers and spoons. Miller began his career studying under two European masters of the trade, Anthon and Dezso Rubesch, who sold him their business on Royal Street in 2003. Since then he’s expanded his craft to include intricate historic reproductions for clients as varied as the Mars candy company and the U.S. State Department. And he’s constantly fashioning new ideas from old ones. “I’m really excited about a julep cup design I’ve been tinkering with for months,” he says. “It’s more of a beaker style with a narrow base, so more unusual than what you might typically see.” Of course, nothing Miller makes is typical, proving that sometimes the best way to carry on a tradition is to reinvent it.
alxandcompany.com

photo: Alice Gao