The genesis of the Silver Study Society (SSS) was simply enthusiasm for silver objects in the broader field of Decorative Arts, and the recognition that those who appreciate the Decorative Arts might welcome opportunities to enhance their knowledge and experience of silver objects.

Silver enthusiasts Jeannie Osborne and J. Lynn Hamilton first discussed forming a Silver Study Society in the Fall of 2016, with the idea that members would be Bayou Bend and Rienzi docents, and their spouses interested in learning about silver. Charter Founders were Docents who made donations of at least $500 in support of the fledgling organization thinking that the educational opportunities would enhance the ability of docent members to give informative tours to museum guests. In February of 2017, Osborne and Hamilton met with Christine Gervais, Director of Rienzi and Curator of Decorative Arts at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH), and Bradley Brooks, Curator of Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens to discuss the vision for the new organization. In May of 2017, twenty-one docents met at Rienzi for the first informal meeting. At that meeting, Gervais gave a presentation on silver at Rienzi, and Brooks presented about silver in the Bayou Bend Collection.

In just five years, membership in the Society had grown to over 100 individuals with a variety of interests in decorative silver. The Society welcomes members of all levels of experience and knowledge knowing each will contribute something to the overall knowledge of our membership and the success of the organization. Our current active membership is composed of docents, museum professionals, collectors, appraisers, dealers, and other silver specialists – lovers of silver decorative objects, both historic and contemporary.

The primary purpose of the Silver Study Society is educational. Members participate to learn, research, and appreciate all types and forms of decorative silver, but they also enjoy socializing with others who share their interest in silver. Our educational programming brings members and a variety of silver experts together for exploratory learning, and our quarterly newsletter is also a wonderful source of information.

Collaborations and partnerships with the MFAH, private collectors, and other organizations enrich the Society member experience and allow members to support preservation and appreciation of decorative arts through our museums. Speakers who are experts in their field related to silver, are invited to give educational presentations 4 to 6 times each year, and recordings of those presentations are made available for viewing through the Society’s website. Offering support to the MFAH museums in several ways, the Society annually presents books on silver-related subjects to the Kitty King Powell Library and Study Center, Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, and hopes to make periodic donations of silver objects to Rienzi or Bayou Bend. In this way the Society shows not only that we appreciate the decorative arts, but that we value access to art as an integral part of our city’s culture.