What a person chooses to have in their home, put on their table, and wear on their body can reflect who they are. Whether functional, ornamental or both, the objects designers create can reflect the style, innovation, and technology of an era.

From silver to aluminum, metal is often the medium from which tableware, decorative arts, and jewelry are fashioned.

Beginning in the late 1800s, designers left past styles behind to forge the new. This gallery explores how modern and contemporary metal is designed, formed, and decorated, presenting a distinct reflection of its makers and owners.